Jedi Knight: Jedi Master
by shanbros323
Summary: This is my own sequel to the brilliant Star Wars game Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. It's about a special Force-Sensitive boy named Tyron Eldin who wants to become a Jedi and a well-known Jedi Knight called Jaden Korr who wants to become more. It's set in 21 ABY. Please review the story as feedback always helps.
1. Solution to a Problem

**Coruscant, Apartment**

In an average-looking apartment a young human boy, who must have been at least 13-years-old, was sat in the middle of the living room with his eyes closed and his hands on his knees. Around him there was certain things floating such as cups, holographic pictures and even a chair.  
Just then the door opposite to him opened and in walked a middle-aged man with a bright smile on his face. "I have fantastic news my Son." said the man. Immediately the boy's eyes flashed open and all of the levitating objects fell, causing one of the cups to smash. The boy's Father walked over to the cup saying "I'm sorry for disturbing you Son but….this was your Mother's."  
The man looked sadly at the broken cup. The boy looked like he had tears in his eyes already "Father I'm…" His Father held up his hand "It's fine. You don't have to apologise. Now onto happier business. I managed to get into contact with Master Luke Skywalker." The boy looked shocked, as if he wasn't sure whether his Father was telling the truth or just joking "You did?" His Father beamed "Yes. I told him about your…problem. He however told me all that is, is potential. You have a place at the Jedi Academy. The transport leaves tomorrow." The boy ran to his Father and pulled him into a hug "Thank you Father." he spoke "No Tyron, thank you." His Father replied.


	2. The First Step

**Coruscant, Trazick Station**

Tyron looked around the large station wondering where his transport was. The chaos of so many people and the amount of ships that were there didn't make it easy "Which ship am I meant to go on?" Tyron asked confused. His Father put his arm around him and said "Transport 379. Don't worry Son, we'll find it soon." As if on cue the ship's number flashed up on the notification screen in front of them. They followed the signs and soon arrived at the transport.

Tyron stared at the ship in an odd way. In all honesty he couldn't wait to get in the ship, start the journey and finally get to the Jedi Academy but he felt as if he couldn't move his legs "Are you okay Son?" His Father questioned, frowning. Tyron waited for a minute and then responded "I am. I really want to go to the Academy, learn the Ways of the Force and become a Jedi. I couldn't want anything more than that yet I can't seem to do it. I feel as if I shouldn't leave." "Why?" His Father enquired "Because I'd miss you too much." Tyron turned to his Father and saw that he was crying "Tyron, I will miss you too. Truly I will, but you are meant for great things. Far greater than selling junk like I do. You are special and will become a Jedi. So you should go to the Academy. We all have to start somewhere my Son."  
Tyron walked to his Father with a look of determination "I will make you proud Father. I promise." His Father brought him into his arms "I am already proud of you my Son. And so is your Mother." Tyron held his Father tightly, savouring the final moments he had with him. After they split apart, the boy's Father winked at him and spoke "Now go become the greatest Jedi ever." Tyron grinned, nodded and then marched over to the ship, ready for a challenge. He took one last look at his Father and then entered the transport.


	3. A New Home

**Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum**

After a long, tedious journey Tyron soon finally arrived on the legendary moon Yavin IV. Flying through the skies quickly but carefully, the ship came close to the Jedi Academy at last. After a few minutes of waiting, the ship landed in a small area surrounded by trees. Suddenly a voice filled the ship, coming from a rather crackling speaker "Okay, we've landed. If everyone would like to pick up their possessions, you will be taken to the Jedi Praxeum by Mr. Crest. If you have any questions just ask him."

Tyron had brought nothing from his home, he hardly had anything to bring, so it didn't take him long to get ready. Rising from his seat, Eldin walked towards the exit and, with a deep breath, stepped out. The bright rays of sunshine hit him like a punch; he was not used to light like this as Coruscant was much darker. Despite the discomfort Tyron walked on with the others.  
The group was not enormous; in fact there were only fifteen people at the most, the majority Tyron's age, strolling through the green, lush forest. Some talking, others silent.  
After half an hour of vigorous hiking, Tyron and his companions arrived at their famous destination, being given a good sight of a grand place.

Tyron watched in awe as he saw the vast exterior of the ancient yet modern Academy. So many feelings rushed through him once his eyes viewed his new home. Amazement, excitement, desire and fear. The very thought of failing, disappointing his Father, not becoming a Jedi made the young boy feel hollow inside. However Tyron simply thought of something his Father had told him a long time ago "Never give up before you've tried my Son." It may seem ridiculously simple to some people but Tyron only saw it as wisdom.

As they arrived at the entrance of the Jedi Academy, an eccentric looking man came out. He had spikey black hair and was wearing what Tyron presumed to be the traditional robes of a Jedi Knight. Once in front of the Jedi the group stopped immediately. Mr. Crest walked over to the man and shook his hands "Hello there Mr. Crest. It's nice to see you again." said the Jedi in a rather high voice "Same to you Rosh. It's been a while. Damn, shaking hands with you still feels like getting crushed by a Wampa." Rosh laughed and raised his left arm. As he did a strange, buzzing sound was heard "Well that's what it's like having a prosthetic arm. You can lift things just fine but you can never be gentle." Crest chuckled "Very true. Well, I'll leave these kids with you. I'm sure you can handle them. Goodbye Rosh." After this Mr. Crest sauntered back towards the path leading to the forest.

Rosh looked at them all and smiled "Well, I know you're all nervous but don't worry, you'll all get used to this soon enough." Instantly one rough-looking Zabrak at the front growled "What makes you think we're _all_ nervous?" As if he was insulted. Rosh simply kept on smiling and replied "The Force young one. Now follow me."

As Tyron and the rest of the students followed Rosh into the Academy, all of them were filled with astonishment as they saw the inside of the phenomenal building. For its age, the structure truly was impressive. As he ambled through the long hall they were in, Tyron felt a pleasant feeling inside of him. It was a relaxing sensation that made Eldin feel like he was where he was meant to be.

After ten minutes of walking through the Academy, Rosh stopped outside of a considerably large door "This is the Grand Audience Chamber. It's the place where new students are always welcomed to the Academy. Master Luke Skywalker is in there so I want you all to show him respect as he's certainly earned it. Once you all step in here, your life as a Jedi will begin. There is no turning back. Are you all ready?" The children stared back at Rosh, all with a look of fortitude in their eyes.  
Very clear on the answer to his question, Rosh turned around and opened the door.

The incredible size of the hall was certainly a sight to see. But it was not how big the hall was that thrilled Tyron and the others; it was who was in it. At the end of the room, stood atop a set of rocky stairs was the famous Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, clothed in his usual black attire. Smiling at them all, Luke walked down the stairs as the group stood in a line in front of him.  
So focused on Skywalker, it took Tyron a few moments to realize that there were several other Jedi in the hall; all of them were stood at the sides, watching them as if they were making an extreme analysis of them.

Silent for a couple of minutes, Luke looked at the children and then finally spoke "Welcome to the Jedi Academy. Here you will be trained in the ways of the Force. You will learn how to defend yourself with a lightsaber. You will also study diplomacy, history and more.  
You are all very much capable of doing many extraordinary things but you must know that you will all do it in different ways and at your own pace, never think otherwise. Self-doubt is not needed in life, yet self-confidence is." Taking a breath Skywalker stopped for only a second then continued "All of you will be given your own Master. They will teach you all you need to know.  
While it would be easier to have one Padawan, we still do not have the right amount of Jedi to be able to do it that way so for some of you, you will have another student alongside you learning from your Master."

While Luke informed the students who would be teaching them, Tyron stood feeling slightly fretful. The anticipation of finding out who his Master would be was quite bothersome.

Stood beside him was the truculent Zabrak who seemed to be overcome with impatience. Huffing intolerantly he kept moving his feet as if staying still was the doom of the Galaxy. Very soon Master Skywalker made his way to their side of the hall. Standing in front of the Zabrak, Luke lifted an eyebrow and then said "Edaruk Voss. You will be the Apprentice of Jedi Knight Rosh Penin. I believe you met him outside." Edaruk groaned which Tyron couldn't help but grin at.

Skywalker took a step towards Tyron "Tyron Eldin. It's nice to finally meet you. I knew your Father during the Galactic Civil War. He helped the Rebellion quite a lot with all the supplies he gave us." This statement shocked Tyron as his Father had never told him that he had anything to do with the Rebel Alliance. He always thought that during those chaotic times his Father tried his best to not get involved "Your Father told me about your gifts…and your problems. I'm sure those problems will be solved once you start your training." Tyron breathed slowly then responded "I hope so Master Skywalker. When will I begin my training?" Luke pursed his lips "Well, I'm afraid you won't be starting your training right now as the other students are. For you it may take a little bit longer." Tyron grew very worried after hearing this. Skywalker noticed his expression and quickly said "Don't feel anxious, it's not anything terrible. It's simply because the Jedi we have chosen to train you is currently on a mission and won't be back until later today. It won't be that long I promise."  
Feeling relieved Tyron smiled and nodded.


	4. Meeting a Hero

**Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum, Dinner Hall**

Tyron heaved in irritation as he sat alone in the dinner hall of the Jedi Praxeum. It had been exactly nine hours since he had come to the Academy and his Master had still not arrived. He tried to be patient but just sitting around doing nothing while his fellow students were actually learning something made it difficult.  
Eldin sat tapping the table as he listened to the others excitedly discussing their first training session, who their Masters were, what they were like. Tyron didn't even know his Master's _name_. The worst thing about that was he was foolish enough not to do the obvious and ask.

As Tyron continued waiting, wondering what he could do to pass the time, a middle-aged looking man, with brown but greyish hair and a rough-looking appearance, walked over and sat in front of him. Due to the man's rugged look, Eldin didn't know whether to be friendly or frightened. Knowing what Tyron was thinking from the expression on his face, the man smiled and spoke "It's okay kid. You don't have to be scared." Feeling slightly embarrassed Eldin immediately said "It's fine. I'm not scared." Kyle smiled again and declared "Sure you're not. I'm Kyle Katarn" Kyle put forward his hand which Tyron took straight away and shook "Kyle Katarn? _The_ Kyle Katarn?! The Jedi Battlemaster?!" Kyle grimaced "Just call me Kyle. Titles make my skin crawl."

Eldin grinned and then replied "Okay. It's just such an honor to meet you." Katarn scratched his bearded chin then replied "Same to you Tyron. Luke told me about you. About your connection to the Force. He didn't have to though; I felt it as soon as you came here." Rather sensitive on that topic Tyron squirmed slightly and asked "What does it matter?" Smirking Kyle answered "Because you're important kid. As incredible as people with the Force are, sometimes there's certain ones who take it to another level. Master Yoda, Anakin Skywalker, Luke. You're just like them."

Quite overwhelmed from this Eldin sat back and questioned "You really think so?" Rolling his eyes, the Jedi Master leaned forward and responded "I don't just think so kid, I _know_ so. The Force tells you the truth. That's one of the best things about being a Jedi." Katarn stayed silent for a minute then carried on "You have the potential to become a very powerful Jedi Tyron. But you have to understand that it isn't wise to let the power get to your head. Make you think you can do _anything_. Anakin Skywalker did that and look what happened." Without saying another word, Kyle stood up and walked away.

Quietly brooding over what Katarn had said to him, Tyron sat and wondered whether the Jedi was right or wrong. Eldin knew that he was strong with the Force, but his problems in the past had destroyed his confidence bit by bit.  
Feeling too tired to wait any longer; Tyron stood and decided to go to his room and rest. Master Skywalker had told him where it was so thankfully he didn't need directions. As he rose and made his way out of the hall, Tyron felt someone's eyes on him. Turning around Eldin saw, standing in the shadowy corner of the room, a somewhat intimidating Togruta. A woman obviously due to her slender body, the Togruta kept on staring at him, as though she was trying to send him a message. Eldin simply looked back and then, slightly afraid, walked out of the hall.

As he strolled to the resting area of the Academy, Tyron wondered why that woman had such hatred in her eyes when she looked at him. He had never seen her before so why she disliked him he had no idea. Despite not being trained in the Force, Tyron could feel the Togruta's anger.

When he arrived at his room, Eldin walked in and hopped on his bed. Too fatigued to even take his clothes off, Tyron just wrapped the blanket around him and hoped his Master would be there tomorrow. As he drifted into sleep Eldin heard the voice of his Father serenely echo in his head "Now go become the greatest Jedi ever."


	5. Return of a Jedi

Before the chapter starts I would like to make it clear that this chapter was written by my best friend. I'm telling you this because he deserves the credit, not me. I'm sure you'll enjoy it :)

 **Bakura, the Outer Rim**

Jaden took a second to check his backpack straps. Nice and tight, no loose ends - just the way he liked it. Then he began the arduous process of lowering himself, inch-by-inch, down the four-hundred metre escarpment that comprised the base of Mount New Tralus.

The mountain, whose thin layer of moss lent it the dark green tinge of its namesake world, was the fifth geographical obstacle he had conquered in as many days. It was hard, tiring work, made just slightly easier by Jaden's masterful use of the Force.

 _Not quite 'masterful',_ Jaden reflected, his pickaxe sinking deep into the sheer granite face before him. _After all, I'm just a lowly Jedi Knight._ Even his internal monologue oozed sarcasm. _Rosh would be proud,_ he decided.

Rosh. It was a name pregnant with meaning for Jaden. Friend, comrade, Jedi, brother. Would-be murderer also came to mind. As usual, thoughts of Rosh quickly turned to thoughts of darkness, thoughts of morality muddied by the detritus of pragmatism, thoughts of the swirling machinations of fate and the scheming of unseen foes. These thoughts were hardly conducive to a safe descent, and so Jaden pushed them to the back of his mind for the umpteenth time that hour. _Some names,_ he concluded, _are better left unmentioned._

Ten minutes of ceaseless toil, facilitated by the silent determination of a man looking for escape, found the young Jedi's journey much advanced. Just one hundred metres now stood between him and his trusty landspeeder, which glistened in the late afternoon sun that baked the arid plain below. But, of course, there was a hitch. There was always a hitch.

With no warning, the chunk of rock hosting his right-hand pickaxe suddenly gave way. Time seemed to dilate, and the world shifted into sharp focus. For the first time, Jaden saw the mynocks nesting in the rock-face to his left - he saw the termites burrowing their way into the earth many hundreds of feet below, and heard the distant clap of thunder upon the horizon. Then he fell.

Not even his Jedi reflexes, imbued as they were with the power of the Force, could arrest his calamity. Pain lanced through his left ankle as he twisted unsteadily from the rock-face, plummeting a dozen or more metres within just a couple of seconds. _That wasn't nice,_ Jaden reflected sanguinely. To an outsider, this situation seemed untenable - the Jedi's life seemed to dangle by a thread above the jaws of death itself. But he survived. He survived partly because he always had, and partly because he sensed - deep within himself, as that thunderclap rolled over the dunes - that the universe had a use for him yet.

And so the jaws of death closed upon nothing but air. He spun gracefully, adopting a balanced poise designed to minimise the shock of the impending impact upon his fragile joints. The Force, ever his ally, rallied to him in his hour of need,wrapping him in the warm, protective embrace of the parents he had never known. Here was his sword, his shield - his parachute.

By the time the dust had settled, he was in the landspeeder, checking another set of straps and preparing for the return leg of his mission. He had now scouted all five of Bakura's mountain peaks, famed for their hostility, providing the New Republic with valuable atmospheric information. _A nice warm-up_ , Jaden thought as he gunned the engines.

The unforgiving sun dipped below the horizon as he raced into the arms of night.


	6. The Training Begins

**Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum**

The feeling of emotional warmth and comfort came to him as Jaden saw the Jedi Academy from afar, taking a glimpse through the window of his transport shuttle. Despite his constant time away on the missions and assignments to other planets, there was nowhere Korr loved more than the Praxeum. His memorable times there in the past made him see it as home.

Jaden enjoyed the feeling of the wind on his face and the sight of the beautiful forest as he stepped out of the ship. He had to cover his face as the powerful beams of the Sun struck him. Even though he had lived on this moon for seven years now, he never failed to take a hit from the Sun when he arrived.

Knowing his way well Korr headed down the usual path and got to the Academy in at least twenty minutes. Since it was easy for him to find his way, Jaden always reached the Praxeum far quicker than others. With no one there to meet him he walked forward and entered his home.

Believing it was best to report the events of his mission to Master Luke; Korr went in search for the Grand Audience Chamber as that was where Skywalker usually was at this time of day.  
After a few minutes of strolling, Jaden arrived at the Chamber and opened the the door. At the end of the room he saw both Luke Skywalker and his own Master Kyle Katarn.

Turning around with a smile on his face Kyle spoke "Hey Jaden. It's good to see you."  
Taking Katarn's hand, Korr shook and replied "It's nice to see you. It feels like it's been years since I was here and I was only gone a couple weeks." "Hello Master Skywalker." he added out of politeness.  
Luke nodded then asked "How was your assignment?"  
"It was hectic but successful Master." Jaden responded.  
Kyle smirked "Isn't that what it's always like for you on missions?"  
Korr chuckled "Of course."

Skywalker quickly proclaimed "I'd love to let you two catch up but we have important business we need to discuss." Katarn shook his head while Korr just waited for Luke to speak first, which he did "Jaden, you have been a Jedi Knight of the Order for seven years now. You've certainly been one of the best. You have achieved many things and saved the lives of numerous innocent people. I believe that you have earned a chance to ascend to the final rank."  
Korr's eyes opened wide while he spluttered from shock and excitement "You…You're making me a Jedi Master?! Oh my…thank you so much Master Skywalker! And thank you Ky-"  
"No kid I think you misunderstood." Kyle interrupted.  
Skywalker continued for him "We're not making you a Jedi Master. We're giving you the _chance_ to become a Jedi Master."

Despite being an adult Jaden still felt humiliation rise inside him, his face growing red, as he realized the stupidity of his misinterpretation "How?" he inquired sheepishly.  
Luke answered "Well, in the Old Jedi Order the most common way a Jedi would raise to the rank of Master would be to take an Apprentice and train them well enough to become a Jedi Knight." Immediately understanding what Skywalker was implying Korr went white. He had never even attempted to train anybody before and the thought of having to take such a responsibility terrified him.  
Seeing his fear Katarn said "Don't worry about it Jaden. You got used to being a Jedi pretty quick, I'm sure being a Mentor will be easy for you."  
Korr couldn't tell whether Kyle was being serious or just joking. He mused over the idea then questioned "Who is my student?"  
Luke smiled "His name is Tyron Eldin. He's thirteen years old just like you were. He has an exceedingly strong connection to the Force. Even though he's never had any training he still managed to become quite good at levitating objects and often saw visions in his sleep. However he does have problems. If you train him then he'll be able to solve those problems."

Jaden looked at Skywalker strangely "I have no experience in teaching and you tell me I have to train a pupil to become a Jedi Master. Now you've decided to give me a difficult student?!"  
Kyle sniggered "Well, in all fairness, the most difficult Apprentices are usually the ones who become the greatest Jedi."

Korr pondered for several moments then, after making a hard decision, spoke "Okay, I'll do it. Where is he?"  
Luke beamed then replied "He's resting in his room. I'll take you to him now."

Nodding to Katarn as a way of farewell, Jaden followed Master Skywalker on the path to his new Padawan. While they were walking Luke began to tell Korr about the boy. Where he was from, who his parents were and most importantly what his problems were.  
After a short discussion between the two they finally arrived at Tyron's room. Jaden started to feel nervous but used the Force bring some relaxation to himself. Almost immediately after Skywalker knocked, the door opened, revealing Tyron.  
"Hello Tyron. May we come in?" Luke asked  
"Of course Master Skywalker." Tyron spoke and then stepped aside. The Two Jedi entered the room then turned to Eldin who looked just as anxious as Korr.  
"Well, I suppose introductions should be made. Jaden this is Tyron Eldin, Tyron this is your Master Jaden Korr." Both Master and Apprentice looked at each other and then, in a rather awkward fashion, shook each other's hands.  
Noticing the gauche expressions on both of their faces, Luke sauntered over to the door and claimed "I guess I should leave you two alone so you can…get to know each other." With a small, coy smile fixed on his face Skywalker left.

After one minute of extremely uncomfortable silence Jaden coughed, as if it was a normal way to start a conversation, and then said "So, you are Tyron Eldin. Master Skywalker told me a lot about you. I'm certainly looking forward to starting your training. Speaking of which do you wish to begin now or are you too tired? It is getting quite late so I can understand if you want to rest."  
Tyron was quick to answer this as the only thing he was tired of was waiting around and not learning "No. I would very much like to start my training now." "My Master." he added hastily.  
"Very well then." Korr stated "Follow me." Both excited and eager Eldin grabbed a jacket close by then hurriedly trailed after his Master.

Following a brief stroll through the Academy, Jaden and Tyron arrived at the Training Grounds of the Praxeum. While Eldin observed the nature-like area with fascination Korr wondered how he could possibly do this.  
Ruminating over his own memories of training, Jaden watched Tyron and then chose to begin in a simple way "Okay, I am going to teach you the basics of both lightsaber combat and the Force. I believe we should start with you learning how to use a lightsaber before we move on to controlling the Force." After seeing Eldin nod Korr carried on "Now when I first came to the Academy it was rather different learning usage of the lightsaber. Due to the Order's lack of knowledge on the old Seven Lightsaber Forms they mixed what they did know into three styles given the names: Strong Style, Medium Style and Fast Style. However you are very lucky as the Jedi Order has learned enough to instruct the Forms individually."  
Despite knowing how much harder this would be now, Tyron felt only enthusiasm. Jaden walked over to a small corner of the area and opened what appeared to be a small chest. Rummaging through the box, Korr soon stood up holding a black, reasonably-sized handle with a tiny red button close to the top.  
Instantly distinguishing the object, Eldin catechized "That's a lightsaber isn't it?"  
"It's a _training_ lightsaber." Corrected Jaden "Weaker than regular lightsabers because they are only used for practice by people on a lower level of skill than fully-trained Jedi, it will not be as dangerous but could cause serious damage if you used it recklessly. To avoid that you must follow all my orders do you understand?" Once again Tyron nodded. Pleased, Korr threw the training saber to Eldin, who easily caught it through impressive natural reflexes, and spoke "Okay, let's begin. I am going to teach you the Forms one at a time. As students usually do you will first study Form I: Shii-Cho. This Form is used mainly for defence against blaster-wielding opponents. To successfully utilize the moves and techniques of Shii-Cho, you must be able to perform the opening stance." Suddenly Jaden took hold of the lightsaber attached to the left side of his belt and ignited it. The dazzling, green blade was quite wonderous to see. Standing in a firm manner that suggested he was ready for a heavy hit but could retreat if need be, Korr held out his weapon horizontally, with a fair distance between his feet "Holding the saber in this way allows you to repel blaster bolts rather effortlessly as long as you are aware of where the bolts are coming from. Now, you do it."

Believing this to be very straightforward Eldin pressed the button on the lightsaber. Out came a slightly less bright beam, yellow in colour. He stood in the same way as his Master had and presented the weapon from the same angle. Tyron thought he had done it right but Jaden immediately came over and said "You're feet are too close, keep them a few inches further apart. Good now hold the lightsaber a little bit closer to your chest, not that close!" Eldin was starting to feel somewhat irritated but kept his mouth closed. After a few more moments of apparent tweaking by his Master, Tyron was soon in the right stance "Perfect." Korr said "Okay, now it's time for me to show you some of the central moves used in Shii-Cho. I guess a demonstration is in order." Activating his lightsaber again, Jaden got back in the opening position and then commenced with showing his Apprentice several Form I methods of defence, each done dexterously by the Jedi Knight.

Following twelve minutes of paying attention to both physical and verbal instructions, Eldin was told to auspiciously execute each action he had been shown. Although he did feel lenient fretfulness inside of him, Tyron took a breath and attempted to do as he had been ordered.  
Not taking very long, Eldin managed to perform each maneuver he had been shown with relative ease. This awoke a small amount of veneration Korr had for his Apprentice "The boy is clearly a quick learner." He thought.

"Well done. Since you seem more than capable of using those moves I am going to give you more of a challenge." He claimed. Jaden went over to the chest and picked up a medium-sized ball, of sorts, that had various holes in it "This is a remote. It's an automaton that is used mainly to hone your skills in defence against someone who can shoot well." Korr pushed him thumb into the top of the remote which was given a stream of light and then started to float, moving rapidly from here to there "The remote will fire numerous blasts at you." Jaden stated simply "You have to defend yourself."

Preparing himself, Tyron raised the training lightsaber and got ready. Eldin saw the remote move around very fast, making it crucial to keep his eyes on it though that was not a facile thing to do. Tyron kept his saber in front of him, trying to be as alert and cautious as possible, while he circled the remote. Soon the remote fired a shot which Eldin blocked hastily. The remote did the same again after a few seconds, only this time it was three bolts, all of which the young Padawan swiftly redirected. As more confidence came to him, Tyron felt much stronger. Every shot the remote sent towards him, he hit aside both speedily and powerfully. He continued to do this for at least fifteen minutes before he heard a familiar voice "It seems like you're learning well."

Just as he turned around, covered in sweat, Eldin was caught by a bolt from the remote "Ow!" he shouted.  
Korr ran to the automaton and turned it off "Hello Kyle." Rubbing his arm, Tyron looked up and saw Katarn smiling at him. Jaden spoke "Well, Tyron this is my old Master Kyle Katarn, Kyle this is Tyron."  
"Yeah, I met the kid before." Kyle responded "Sorry to interrupt the training Jaden but I have to talk to you about something…now."  
Understanding Korr looked at Eldin and said "I'm afraid we'll have to finish this session tomorrow. Go and rest, you've worked hard today."  
Nodding at Jaden Tyron replied "Yes Master." Then walked away, heading for his room. He was definitely ready for a good night's sleep


	7. A Potential Warrior

**Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum**

A cloud of bliss filled the room as Tyron slept comfortably in his bed. Due to the fatigue caused by his first training session, Eldin fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillows. The peace of his sleep was disrupted however when dark images swarmed his mind. He began to fidget quite intensely, causing his bed to tremble and his blanket to move into a muddled-up position.

The things he saw in his mind were strange, going so fast that he couldn't see them clearly. There were only fragments of mysterious sights but they indicated fear and tragedy. The more the images came together, the more restless Tyron became. Suddenly the flashes stopped and only one thing could be seen: a shadowy figure, concealed by both blackness and obscurity.  
A voice polluted Eldin's thoughts; it was deep and unrecognisable "I know you Tyron Eldin. You are important. Your power is what keeps you on the edge of both light and dark. If you join me you will rise, if you oppose me you will fall." After these words, panic surged through Tyron as though it was knocking down the walls of bravery inside him.

Overwhelmed by distress, Eldin jumped up breathing heavily. After a few moments of panting Tyron got out of his bed and tried make himself feel much calmer. As if on cue his door opened and in came Jaden "Okay, up you get, training tim…are you okay?" he inquired.  
Trying his best to look well Eldin quickly replied "I'm fine, I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well."  
Korr narrowed his eyes and spoke "No, it's more than that, I can sense it. What's wrong?" His tone became rather firm at the end of his question.  
Reluctantly Tyron answered "I had a dream. A horrible dream. It was difficult to see but all I could feel was fear. At the end of the dream someone was there. They talked to me."  
Jaden had a look of concern on his face "What did they say?"  
Staying silent for a moment Eldin responded "They said that they knew me and that I was important. They said that it was my power that's keeping me on the edge of the light and dark. Then they just threatened that I had to join them or I'd die."  
Almost clueless about what he should say to comfort his Apprentice, Korr thought for a minute then said "Don't worry about it Tyron, it was just a dream. Maybe the bad sleep was just caused by stress. It isn't easy to get used to this kind of life."  
Tyron thought about it then quietly mumbled "It seemed so real."  
Jaden put his hand on the boy's shoulder "Don't worry." He repeated "It's okay. Now get ready, you have challenging day ahead of you." Walking over to the door the Jedi Knight turned and stated "Meet me at the Training Grounds." He then walked away.

Once he changed his clothes into the usual attire worn by students, Eldin grabbed his training lightsaber and headed for the Training Grounds. Remembering where the Grounds were located, Tyron got there in short time. He saw his Master waiting for him however he was very surprised as stood next to him was what appeared to be a rather tall, bulky droid. Smiling at his Apprentice's confusion Korr spoke "I will explain this soon. Right now I have to tell you what the concept of this lesson is. Despite the shortness of yesterday's lesson you seemed to have learned Form I quite well. You were impressive and I believe you're ready to learn something that takes more skill to be good at. As I told you in our last session, Shii-Cho is used mainly for defence against blasters but Form II, which is called Makashi, is the first form to be based on lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat, something that is necessary for you to become adept at. Now for the training it is too dangerous for me to spar with you, you're not ready yet, and so that is why I have brought _this_." Jaden pointed at the droid "This is an ASP-19 Battle Droid. It is used to practice your duelling abilities. As soon as I set the difficultly of the droid it will become active, a short saber blade will come from its arm, and then you will fight it. Victory will be you destroying it. Are you keeping up with me?"  
"Yes." Tyron said  
"Okay, now the training must begin." After this, the following events of the lesson mirrored the previous session. Korr demonstrated the opening stance and some useful moves of Makashi then observed Eldin as he tried to do the same. Though they were a few faults in his performance due to the complexity of Form II methods, Tyron quickly corrected himself, with a little bit of guidance from his Master.

Once he decided that Eldin was ready, Jaden walked over to the droid and switched it to its lowest level, often called the "Padawan Level", and declared "Okay, I'm going to get out of your way. Be prepared and use what you have learned to triumph." As soon as he finished he leapt up to the balcony above.

Noticing the deadly looking blade come out of the droid's arm, Tyron raised his lightsaber and got ready; immediately the droid ran forward and attacked. Despite the droid's apparent clunky state, it moved much faster than expected. Eldin jumped back and then stabbed but his lightsaber was intercepted by his enemy. Raising his weapon again, Tyron waited for a moment and then sent a strike towards the droid who blocked the shot but was knocked slightly backwards from the force of the hit. Trying to exploit his opponent's clumsy position Eldin slashed and successfully cut the droid's wrist off, essentially disarming it. The droid ran forward but failed to gain any dominance when Tyron simply held his lightsaber out which stuck through its body. Satisfied, Eldin deactivated his saber and looked to his Master, who jumped down "Well done my Apprentice. Remarkable for a beginner. You do have much to learn about this Form but you are starting well. Come on, we'll practice more. We're going to focus on Makashi for the next few sessions, it isn't a simple Form."

True to his word, Korr taught Tyron a lot of things about Makashi over the next few weeks; different techniques based on both defensive and offensive tactics. Despite his attainment in the last lesson, Eldin did take quite a while to get used to the elegance of Makashi which involved perfectly balanced footwork, flexible movement and great accuracy in every jab, cut and parry.  
He had more clashes with numerous ASP-19 Battle Droids, each of which was set on a harder level than the last. Tyron found the duels to be very demanding but certainly useful to exercise with the lightsaber. After much time of tiresome training, Eldin started to become moderately skilled in Form II which gained him praise from his Master.

The extremity of these lessons drained Tyron and made him very fond of serene slumber which thankfully did not get interrupted by any more bad dreams. He didn't have much time to rest though as Jaden woke him up early in the morning and insisted that training for at least eight hours straight was vital; Eldin sincerely hoped this was true.  
Even though he was learning lots of things about lightsaber combat, one thing that bothered Tyron was that his Master had not yet began teaching him ways to influence and control the Force which was, in his opinion, the most important lesson to learn. Despite his worries, Eldin kept it to himself and let Korr do what he thought was best; he was the teacher after all.


	8. A Plan of Revenge

**Korriban, Valley of the Dark Lords**

Darkness loomed in the sky as murky fog covered all light. Although it was true that the Force was connected to and intertwined the Galaxy, it was only the Dark Side that reticulated this place. The Valley of the Dark Lords had become truly desolate for the last seven years however, it had visitors today.  
Stood in the middle of the Valley, clearly admiring all their surroundings was two hard-to-see people both clothed in black, hooded cloaks that masked their faces. One was rather tall and gracile while the other was short yet burly.

The taller figure walked forward and held up their arms "You see this my Apprentice? This is the centre of power. The home of the Dark Side. All these buildings are tombs where Sith Lords are laid down in peace as a reward for the great things they did. When given a gift as glorious as the strength of the Dark Side you must use it to achieve whatever your most important goals are." Joining their Master, the other stepped forward and spoke "But Master, the Light Side is strong too. It makes it difficult to…achieve goals." "The Light Side is feeble compared to the Dark." the Master growled "The Jedi try to disallow the most ordinary thing about sentient beings: feelings. They forbid emotions such as anger and hatred because they know it would make anyone dominant in the Force. The Dark Side is a hammer and the Light Side is a wall; when the strong side hits the weak, it crumbles."

"So what is your goal my Master?" the Apprentice inquired. Staring at the infamous Mausoleum of Darth Bane, the Master answered "Revenge my Apprentice, Revenge." Turning around they continued "But to fulfill a difficult task, it must be planned carefully. From now on we must be as cautious and discreet as possible. Do not help raise the Jedi's suspicions." The Apprentice nodded and then asked "What about the boy?" Musing over this question, the Master responded "The boy is powerful. He could be helpful but we must corrupt him. We'll use his own problems against him. If we do that, then he will be consumed by the Dark Side."

 **Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum, Dinner Hall**

Rewards were not something Tyron was used to so having a day off from wearisome training felt like he had been given a mountain of gold. His Master had told him he could relax today as he had been given a short assignment by Master Skywalker.

What Eldin wanted most was rest so he slept in late and didn't get out of bed until the tenth hour of the day. As soon as he arose he headed for the Dinner Hall, feeling very hungry. When he arrived he saw that several people, both students and Jedi, were there enjoying their meals.

After getting his own tray of food, Tyron turned and looked at the hall, wondering where to sit. For most of his time there he had always eaten his dinner beside Jaden, who would point out a fault in his training in between each bite, so eating alone didn't seem quite right.

As he let his eyes wander around he saw that nearly every table was filled with a group all discussing something or other. However he did notice that there was one small table in the corner of the room that had only one person sitting there: Edaruk Voss, the confrontational Zabrak who had become Rosh Penin's Apprentice.

Deciding that beggars can't be choosers Eldin walked over to the fellow student and sat. Edaruk stared at him perplexingly and barked "What do you want?" Picking up his fork, Tyron began to chew his food then replied "Nothing in particular, I just saw you alone and every other table is full so…" he drifted off at the end as he knew it was easy to understand what he was implying. Grunting, Voss just looked down and carried on eating.

Despite the awkwardness, Eldin felt determined to make a conversation with the hostile Zabrak. Poking at his meal, Tyron asked "So, how's your training been?" Edaruk looked up "How's that any of your business?" "I suppose it isn't." Eldin retorted. He saw that forming a friendship with Voss was a long work in progress.  
Staying silent for a few minutes, Tyron tried again and asked "So, what's it like to have Rosh Penin as a teacher?" Understanding that a surly attitude wouldn't discourage this one to stop bothering him Voss sighed and answered "It's strenuous. He always does his best to slow me down despite the fact I'm a quick learner. "Taking a breath he continued "Anything else you want to know?" Despite Edaruk's intended insolence Eldin still said back "No not really. You know, you're not the only Apprentice with a Master who's making it hard. My Master is Jaden Korr. He's good but all we're doing is practicing lightsaber combat and what I need to learn the most is how to control the Force. I'd prefer for it to be different but I just tell myself: he is the teacher." Finished with his dinner, Tyron stood and decided to go do some combat exercises but before he turned he did notice that Voss had a softer expression on his face. Perhaps a friendship could actually be made.


	9. Patience is Defence

**Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum, Training Grounds**

When he came back from his mission, Jaden told Tyron that he would now begin his study of the Classic Form, Soresu. Eldin felt both happy and sad about this as, although he was eager to learn everything he could about lightsaber combat, he had become particularly fond of Makashi and was beginning to get rather skilled in the graceful Form; for a pupil that is.

Korr began to teach Tyron Form III in a slightly different way than he had taught the others. Due to the intricacy of Soresu, Jaden had Eldin acting out the moves and manoeuvres alongside him instead of just demonstrating them to the boy himself and expecting perfection from simple observation.

As Tyron stood in the opening stance of Form III, with his lightsaber held back and his right foot forward, Korr spoke "Soresu is based completely on defence. It is, essentially, the embodiment of one of the most important parts of the Jedi philosophy: non-aggression." Jaden walked forward and pushed Eldin's left hand a little higher then continued "The key to this Form is fast reflexes, natural preparation for dramatic, positional changes and the capability to adapt in a dangerous situation. The purpose of Soresu is to defend yourself continuously and take the right shot, at the right time. To be able to do that you will need patience. In this form of combat, patience is a necessity."

Tyron started performing several Form III moves for practice while Korr started up his Battle Droid. When he was finished tinkering with the droid Jaden turned and said "Since I want to test you on your defence I brought a new practice droid for you. It's an ASP-20 Battle Droid. It's a lot more active, forceful and is made of tougher material so it will be harder for you to destroy it." As usual his Master switched the droid on and leaped up to the balcony.

Getting ready for a fight, Eldin moved into the opening stance and waited while the droid warily moved forward. Taking action Tyron lunged and took a strike which was bashed away by the droid, soon followed by another two jabs from the Apprentice, both of which were once again blocked. Starting to get frustrated, Eldin put more power into all of his attacks, not giving his enemy a chance of hitting back. Eventually his strength overwhelmed the droid and it broke into pieces.  
Proud of himself, Tyron deactivated his lightsaber then looked up at his Master, who was giving him an odd look. Korr jumped down "You failed." He stated.  
Confused Eldin quickly questioned "Failed? How did I fail? I defeated the droid."  
Scratching his chin, Jaden replied "You are currently studying Form III. That means you must make excellent defence your main goal during these lessons. When you fought the droid, you did nothing but attack; that is not The Way of the Mynock. You must wait, divert all blows and make an assault at all openings." Sighing Korr added "Maybe you're not ready for this."  
Slightly irritated by this remark Eldin heatedly responded "I only made a mistake. It doesn't mean I'm not ready."  
Raising his eyebrows Jaden spoke "Do not speak to me in that tone my Apprentice. Maybe one thing you need to learn is respect."  
This comment made Tyron even angrier "I know respect. What I don't know is why you were chosen to be my Master. You don't correct my mistakes, you just insult me! You insist on training me all about lightsabers when what is most important to me is learning about the Force!"

With a curled lip, Korr said "This session is over. Leave, now. You cannot learn when you're in this state." Happy to do so, Eldin stomped out of the Training Grounds.


	10. Friendship Forged

**Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum, Grand Audience Chamber**

Itching his beard, Kyle Katarn stood outside the door of the Grand Audience Chamber and prepared to go in. Opening the doors, Kyle was welcomed with a surprise; sat down, clearly meditating, was Jaden. This was unexpected for two reasons: Luke was usually the Jedi who spent a lot of time relaxing here and he thought Korr would have been training his Apprentice.

Feeling his connection to the Force during his current meditation, Katarn chose not to disturb Jaden. Instead he walked up to him, sat down and joined him in his embracement of peace.  
Kyle felt his awareness of what was around him increase immensely. He could feel the presence of Korr sat beside him. He could sense all the students of the Academy, each doing their own tasks. He could hear every step Luke was taking as he came closer to the Chamber.

After a few minutes of this both Jaden and Katarn came back to the physical world and opened their eyes "Well that was pleasant. But I think we need to talk." said Kyle, earning a chuckle from Korr, who replied "Sure. What is it you want to talk about?" Standing up Katarn answered "I want to know what Tyron's progress is so far. He's been here for six weeks now so I'd think he would have gotten to a certain level in his training." When he said this he sensed a feeling of worry in Jaden but didn't comment "He's doing very well. I have started him on the basics of the first three Forms. I only spent one lesson on Shii-Cho as I thought Form II and III were more important for him to learn. He became quite impressive with Makashi; made a few mistakes but still did well. As for Soresu, he learned the moves but not the meaning of the Form. That turned it all into a disaster."  
Curious Kyle questioned "What do you mean a disaster?" Korr sighed "He had a practice duel with a battle droid and failed. He wasn't using Form III when he fought so I told him. He wasn't too happy. He got really angry and started telling me how much of a terrible teacher I am. He started snapping at me about the fact I haven't began to teach him the Ways of the Force yet. I think tha…" "Wait a minute." Katarn interrupted "You haven't started teaching him how to control the Force? You do realize that's the most crucial lesson he needs to learn don't you?" Jaden stood awkwardly "Well, yeah I know it's important but I just thought I'd start it how you did. Lightsaber combat." Shaking his head Kyle spoke "Okay, I know you're not used to teaching so it is going to be difficult but you must know it's essential that Tyron learn how to control his power. Especially due to his problems."

Korr groaned "I know, I know. I've made a foolish mistake. It's just not that…easy." Coming up with an idea Kyle said "Okay, how about this. Since this is a bit harder for you I'll take some of the weight off. I'll take over the kid's training in lightsaber combat whilst you start to teach him about the Force." Thinking this idea over, Jaden spoke "That's not bad thinking Kyle." "What's not bad thinking?" a voice asked.  
Turning they both saw Luke stepping towards them "Hello Master Skywalker." Korr greeted. Still expecting an answer, The Jedi Master just stood there "Well, I just thought since Jaden's finding the teaching tough, I'd help him out and give Tyron some practice with a lightsaber. I am the Jedi Battlemaster after all."

Skywalker stayed in silence for a minute or two, gazing at the sun through the window-slits of the hall "I think that could be a smart plan. The more guidance Tyron gets the better."

* * *

 **Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum, Resting Area**

Tyron found that when anger filled him, the best thing to do was sit down and wish the cause of it had never happened. That was the only thing Eldin _knew_ to do anyway. As he sat thinking about his burst at Jaden, an alleviating voice asked "Are you okay?". Looking up Tyron saw a young Tholothian girl standing above him, with an expression of concern on her face.  
It took Eldin a few moments to answer the girl's question as he was quite stunned by her captivating beauty. Seeing her raise an eyebrow he quickly answered "I'm fine, I'm okay. I'm just...resting." The Tholothian rolled her eyes "No you're not. You're angry and frustrated. I can sense it."  
Not knowing how to respond Tyron just looked down at the floor. The girl sat down next to him and inquired "What is making you feel this way?" Eldin felt unsure whether he should say as this girl was a stranger to him but for some reason he felt rather comforted in her presence. Slowly Tyron said "I had an argument with my Master. I made a mistake but instead of correcting me he just claimed that I obviously wasn't ready. I don't think _he's_ even ready to be a teacher!" The Tholothian thought about Eldin's words for a minute then spoke "Perhaps you're being a bit too critical. If this is his first time as a mentor than maybe you could try to be more accepting of his flaws." Immediately having a reply for that Tyron stated "That's exactly what I thought was best to do. The worse thing about this is I know you're right. I myself said that no student should ever question their Master as they are the teacher. Yet I did that anyway. If there's one thing I don't like it's hypocrisy."  
After a few minutes of silence Eldin asked "What's your name?" A small smile appearing on the girl's face she answered "Hadrian. Hadrian Winlett. What's yours?" "I'm Tyron Eldin."

Feeling slightly more cheerful Tyron "I don't remember seeing you on first day. When did you arrive?" "About a year ago. I don't get much time to relax here. My Master always insists on helping those who need it. All the missions we go on are learning by doing as she says." Hadrian replied.  
Following a couple more minutes of silence Winlett said "You know, I understand what it is like to be with an inexperienced Master. It is very irritating at times but the best thing to do is be patient and have hope. I did and it has greatly benefitted me. I have learned much in all my time here." After her speech Hadrian stood up and walked away.

Contemplating his new friend's advice Eldin felt a feeling of ardour return to him. Standing up Tyron headed for his room, believing that some rest would do him good.


	11. Study of the Force

**Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum, Training Grounds**

Certain days in a person's life are not very important. Some are for nothing more than rest and laziness. However this was not one of those days for Jaden Korr. Today was the start of his Apprentice's education in the Ways of the Force. Jaden felt very nervous about this as it was not a subject that could be taught very easily.  
As Korr waited for his student he tried to think back to his times in training. His Master had made it so simple as he explained how to control the Force. Hoping to do the same Jaden did his best to hide his worry when he saw Tyron entering the Grounds "Good morning my Apprentice." Korr said. Bombarded by discomfort due to the events of his last training session, Eldin just stood in front of his Master and replied "Morning."

Attempting to avoid an awkward conversation Korr decided to inform Tyron of the changes that would be made "I have some surprising news to give you. Since I have already started you off in your training of lightsaber combat and you could use some help from a more experienced teacher in that field, Kyle Katarn will take over your instruction in learning how to wield a lightsaber. Considering he is the Jedi Battlemaster of the Academy, I'm sure he will do well in assisting you on improvement of the Forms you have learned and schooling you in the ones you have not." While his Master was taking a breath after the long speech, Eldin was taking in the shock of this information. The fact that he was being taught lightsaber combat by the very best was quite astonishing.

Sensing the surprise in his Apprentice, Jaden spoke "Don't worry about it Tyron. Kyle is a patient Master; he'll teach you well." Feeling Tyron's fear lessen Korr began "Now this lesson is very important. I will begin to teach you how to control the Force." As soon as he heard his Master say this, Eldin gave him the utmost attention "Now I was told that before you came here, you had managed to use the Force to levitate objects. For an untrained child that is very impressive. However I also heard that one of your problems was that any time you were surprised you couldn't move the objects anymore. Now that shows me what you need to improve on is focus. In all areas of the Force, one thing that is vital is concentration."  
After he said this Jaden started to search the Grounds and pick up any small rock he could find. Once he had a fair amount, the Jedi Knight came back over to his Apprentice and dropped them in front of him "Since you're familiar with the Telekinesis usage of the Force we'll start with that. Now I want you to lift one of these rocks up and keep it in the air no matter what happens. Understood?" Tyron nodded then did as he was told. Closing his eyes and holding out his right hand, Eldin did as he always had and tried to think about stretching his arm all the way over to the object and picking it up. He continued to do this for several moments when eventually the pebble slowly began to rise. It wobbled at first and then gradually became more still as it ascended into the the air. Tyron stopped it once it reached his height and tried his to best to keep it there. He was at first successful when suddenly he felt something hit his stomach. Losing focus he opened his eyes and the rock dropped to the floor. Looking down he saw that there was another stone at his feet. Eldin brought his gaze to his Master and asked "Did you just throw that at me?" "Yes." he responded "Why did you do that?" Tyron questioned in an annoyed tone. Chuckling Korr answered "As I said before, the most important thing about this is to stay focused. I am testing you. You must clear your mind and concentrate on that rock. You must see lifting the rock and keeping it that way as the most important thing in your life. Now, do it again. And this time _focus_."

Taking a breath Eldin did as before and soon lifted the rock. As his concentration became stronger, he felt much more powerful. He heard many projectiles come his way but did not feel anything when they came into contact with his body. After a few minutes he heard his Master say "My, my." in a rather amazed voice. Opening his eyes, what Tyron saw astounded him as well. The rock was not the only thing floating. The entire pile his Master had gathered was in the air, as was the chest of supplies in the corner. The supplies themselves came out of the box and went high into the air. Eldin could even see Jaden's two lightsabers, attached to his belt, facing upwards. Losing concentration due to the startling sight, Tyron dropped all of what he had lifted.

Silent for quite a while, Korr walked over to his Apprentice and spoke "That was…incredible Tyron. I think that's enough for one day. You'll be having a combat session with Master Katarn tomorrow. You go and rest while I talk to Master Skywalker." Too shocked to reply Eldin simply turned around and left. Knowing that he was capable of such an act was a lot to take in. Hoping to find Hadrian so he could tell her what had happened, Tyron headed for the Resting Area. She seemed like a good person to talk to about things like this. This certainly had been an eventful day.


	12. Change is Helpful

**Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum, Practice Area**

Tyron woke up even earlier than he usually did due to the request from his new combat instructor. Bumbling around because of his tiredness, Eldin managed to get dressed without falling over and picked up his training lightsaber. All ready, Eldin exited his room and went in search of the Jedi Battlemaster. He had been told by Jaden that his training with Master Katarn would take place in the Practice Area of the Praxeum. Though he had never been there, Tyron was good at following directions.  
The Practice Area was inside of the Academy instead of out like the Training Grounds so it didn't take Eldin too long to get there. When he arrived he was quite impressed by the area. The size was obviously useful as there were many people training here. Some were Masters teaching their Apprentices, others were students just exercising alone and there were even a few pupils sparring with each other. In the far corner of the room Tyron spotted Hadrian, holding what appeared to be a training saber like his, taking on a sturdy-looking Wookiee who was surprisingly using a Yellow-Bladed Saberstaff. Observing with interest, Eldin waited to see what would happen.

Winlett cautiously circled her opponent, waiting for an attack. As if on cue the Wookiee sprung forward with a stab which Hadrian knocked aside. Responding quickly the Saberstaff-wielder sent four more shots with much more power, each from a different side of the blade. Winlett blocked all, not faltering once. Seeing an opening, Hadrian pushed the Wookiee and then slashed at their waist, as fast as lightning. The Wookiee dropped as soon as the saber came into contact, howling in pain while holding their waist. Training lightsabers may not be as strong as real lightsabers but they still hurt.

Before he could see what would happen next, Tyron heard "Hey kid! Quit staring and get over here." Following the noise, he saw Kyle in the opposite corner of the room. Obeying Katarn's commands, the Padawan jogged over and stopped in front of him. Kyle stared at Eldin, as if he was expecting something. After one minute of this the Jedi Master spoke "Jaden told me about your first session studying the Force. What you did was incredible for a student at your level."  
Noticing the boy's awkward expression, Katarn decided to move on "Okay, your Master has informed me that you are pretty good in both Shii-Cho and Makashi but are having problems in Soresu. This is to be expected. It's certainly not an easy Form to learn. Then again neither is Makashi and you seemed to have learned that well. Maybe that is a good sign." Unsure what to say Tyron simply stayed silent and waited for Kyle to continue, which he did "Now we are going to focus on Form III until you get good at it. I'm sure when Jaden started teaching you this he showed you the moves and had you copy them or you both did it side by side, something like that?" Eldin nodded "Well, I'm gonna do it a little different. The main goal for using Soresu is defending yourself and I don't think you'll be able to understand the importance of defence if you're just doing it yourself." Taking a few steps back, Katarn said "Ignite your lightsaber." Tyron did as he was told "Okay, I want you to attack me. It doesn't matter what style you want to use. Preferably, whatever your best at." Quite surprised Eldin asked "Really? Are you sure?" With a laugh Kyle replied "I wouldn't have told you if I wasn't sure would I?" Knowing this was a rhetorical question Tyron quickly stood in the Makashi stance, as he was sure this was his best Form, and waited while the Jedi Battlemaster poked around a nearby table that was clearly covered with supplies.

Returning with a lightsaber shorter than his own Katarn stated "It's best not to spar with a real lightsaber. Training lightsabers make it a lot less dangerous." Saying no more Kyle got into the Soresu stance and waved at the Apprentice, making it clear that this was the time to start. Wasting little time Eldin jumped forward and stabbed which was easily sent into misdirection, causing Tyron to fall onto the ground quickly. Getting up hurridly, the Padawan raised his saber in defence and tried to find an opening in the Jedi Battlemaster's guard but, due to the latter's great use of Form III, could not.  
Deciding that sometimes recklessness helped, Eldin attacked both sides with strong hits but once again failed. He continued to do this for several minutes, trying to add as much power as he could to his strikes but he was still unsuccessful in breaking Katarn's resistance. After a few more minutes of moderate swordplay, Tyron began to feel the fatigue of the duel. The fierce attacks he had attempted to use had seemed to drain him of quite a lot of energy. The weariness started to force him to make clumsy mistakes; this was when Kyle went on the offensive. With no mercy, Katarn took advantage of an obvious opening and knocked the boy's saber out of his hand then proceeded to trip him up with a swift leg sweep.  
Defeated, Eldin laid on the ground and waited while Kyle marched towards him. Holding out his hand, the Battlemaster spoke "Now _that_ is the importance of Soresu. I concentrated on my defence and you didn't get a single shot on me. I was patient and just waited." Helping Tyron up Katarn continued "It's all about wearing your opponent down then when they have no strength left, you exploit their mistakes. I'm sure you understand now." Feeling much more respect for Kyle, Eldin responded "Yes, I do." Kyle smiled "You will get better Tyron."

Following that significant lesson, Tyron tried his very best to listen to the Jedi Master. After numerous severe practice sessions Eldin finally started to improve in Form III. However, he was still no expert; he did have faults in his usage of the style. Despite this he was certainly getting better in the Resilience Form.  
Tyron talked to Hadrian about his training and was given the offer of practicing Soresu with her as she was apparently very adept at that Form. This was proven to be true as Eldin had a number of sparring matches with her and was beaten in every single one. Though he was no sore loser, Tyron still told himself that if it had been Makashi sparring, he would have beaten her.

During the next seven weeks of training, Eldin also began to get more skilled in Form II. While he mainly focused on Soresu in his lessons with Katarn, he did keep practicing Makashi. Honing his strengths and diminishing his weaknesses as the Battlemaster told him.  
In those weeks Tyron also got more advanced in his Force study lessons with his Master Korr. Clear that he was good enough at Telekinesis, Jaden left that behind and taught his Apprentice how to control the Force in different, more useful ways. Eldin learned how to use the Force to enhance his agility, heighten his senses and even utilize attack techniques of the Force such as stuns and power waves.

Sometime after his first combat lesson with Kyle, Tyron was informed by the Jedi Master that they would soon be starting on Form IV, Ataru. A popular form, Eldin was told that even Master Skywalker was fond of this style. Having heard of Ataru before, Tyron knew that he should get as much sleep as he could because Form IV would be the most tiring combat style he had learned yet.


	13. Remembrance

**Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum**

The stars shone bright above the Academy as the night fell. Peace was flowing through the Praxeum as all slept; some dreaming, others in deep rest. Tyron was in the state of the latter. Calmness filled him as he laid comfortably in bed, wrapped in blankets. The relaxation soon ended however when joyless feelings attacked the boy's mind. Immediately overwhelmed Eldin sprung up, breathing heavily. He stumbled out of bed and tried to use the Force to take the anxiety he felt away, as his Master had taught him. When the fear lessened, Tyron had the sudden need to go for a walk. Putting on a jacket, Eldin opened his door and went for a stroll.

As he wandered through the dark, narrow corridors of the Academy, Tyron started to feel the urge to go a certain way. Following these silent instructions, he eventually got to the back exit of his home. Pushing through the door, Eldin saw someone not that far away, covered by the night. Curious as to who it was, the Padawan slowly headed towards them. When he was only a few feet away the person spoke "I know you're there Tyron."  
Recognising the voice Tyron inquired "Hadrian? What are you doing out here at this time of night?"  
Chuckling Hadrian replied "I could ask you the same thing." Turning, Winlett was holding what seemed to be a small candle and a match.  
Puzzled Eldin questioned "Why do you have a candle?"  
With a small tear slowly running down her cheek Hadrian answered "I've been doing this for six years Tyron. Today is a memorial day for me. Lighting this candle and sending it into the sky brings a small amount of solace to me."  
Tyron was afraid to ask but still did so nonetheless "Why is today a memorial day?"  
Sniffling Winlett responded "Today…is the day my family died. My Mother, my Father and my little Brother. I was eight-years-old when it happened."  
Saddened but nosy Eldin probed "How did it happen?"  
Ignoring the rudeness, Hadrian said "An accident occurred. Jedi came to our planet, Tholoth, and tried to stop a group of greed-driven criminals from smuggling some dangerous weapons. The criminals got so scared they tried to use the weapons to kill the Jedi. It happened in the village I was living in, so my family was killed instead of the Jedi. I laid in their blood, crying and one of the Jedi came to me. She saved me, comforted me and then took me to her home planet. I was adopted by her parents. I grew to love them but I'll never forget my family. I light this candle every year, on this day, to show that they're always in my heart."

Feeling newfound sympathy towards his friend, Tyron put his arm on her shoulder and spoke "Well then, lets light the candle."  
Winlett smiled then did just that. Using the match, fire covered the top of the candle. Hadrian threw the candle into the air then with a quick wave, used the Force to send it high.

Quiet for a few minutes, Eldin soon broke the silence "I do understand how you feel Hadrian. I myself have lost someone important to me in the past."  
Winlett turned and asked "You have?"  
"Yes I have." Tyron said "When I was born my Mother died in childbirth and it wasn't just a medical accident. It was because of _me_."  
Hadrian looked at him with an unusual expression "What do you mean?"  
Taking a breath Eldin replied "Giving birth to someone with such a strong connection to the Force was too much for my Mother. I drained her of all the life she had in her."  
Winlett took his hand and claimed "You can't blame yourself for that."  
"My Father has told me the same many times. But I can blame myself." Tyron stated "Because it's true. It is my fault. I've known it since the second I came into the Galaxy. I've always known it. It's what started my…problems." After a few seconds Eldin continued "I'm not trying to bring the attention to me, I just mean that I understand how you feel. I know my situation is hardly the same as yours but I do feel the pain so if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here."

Hadrian was smiling so much it seemed like she was glowing "Thank you Tyron. That's very sweet of you."  
Feeling much warmth come to his face Tyron nervously coughed and then spoke "Well, I think we should go in now. Training tomorrow."  
Taking one last look at the candle, floating in the distance, Winlett nodded and then entered the Academy with her friend.  
Time may heal many wounds, but the agony from the death of a loved one never goes.


	14. Stranger's Reunion

**Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum, Resting Area**

Aching from his intense training, Tyron sat carefully on a chair in the Resting Room. His last session with the Jedi Battlemaster had been six hours of practicing the very athletic lightsaber form Ataru. Due to the acrobatic techniques involved in Form IV, Eldin felt extremely exhausted.

Tyron would have gone straight to his room and slept but after his combat session, Jaden had come to him and tasked him with meditation exercise however, after a brief debate, Korr did allow him to take a half an hour's rest. Meditation usually relaxed and refreshed Jedi but Eldin found it quite strenuous. The last time he tried, it made him recall bad memories. That was not something Tyron was fond of doing.

As the young student sat thinking to himself, trying his best to stay awake, he was joined by an unexpected visitor. Looking up Eldin saw the angry Togruta he had seen before staring down at him "May I join you?" she asked in a rather soothing voice. Not sure what to do Tyron simply nodded to her. She smiled and sat down in front of him.

After a few moments of silence the Togruta spoke "So, you are Tyron Eldin. I have heard much about you. It is nice to finally meet you. I'm Grace Katar"  
Surprised Eldin replied "I didn't think you'd be happy to see me."  
With her eyebrows raised the Togruta questioned "Why not?"  
Hesitantly Tyron responded "I saw you before, on my first day here. I was leaving the Dinner Hall and I saw you looking at me. You were _very_ angry. I could feel it."

Frowning, Grace looked at him for a moment, as though wondering what to say, and then stated "You are right. I was angry. Quite wrong of me considering the ways of the Jedi but no matter what we follow we all still have emotions. Nothing can stop that. Emotions do not fall, they rise."  
Mesmerized but also confused by Katar's little speech Eldin proceeded to ask "Then why was you angry at me?"  
Grace answered "I was not angry at you. I was angry at Master Katarn. We had…a disagreement earlier that day. It was not about something that should be taken lightly. Seeing him again brought the anger back to me and it did not leave quickly. I looked at you simply out of curiosity. I am very sorry if I caused you discomfort, that was certainly not my intention."

Considering her words as fair Tyron put forth his hand and said "It's okay. I understand. It's very nice to meet you Grace."  
Smiling warmly Katar took his hand and shook it "Thank you. So, what has it been like for you here since you arrived?"  
A happier expression etched on his face Eldin replied "It has been very challenging but exciting. Having a chance to become a Jedi and make my Father proud is wonderful but it takes a lot, as I'm sure you know. My Master Jaden Korr seems to make it much more arduous than I believe it has to be."  
At the mention of his Master, Tyron thought he saw a glint of annoyance on Grace's face but it went that fast he wasn't sure "Yes I know Jaden Korr quite well. We were both trained by the same Master though I was Katarn's Apprentice a couple years after." Seeing Eldin's interest Katar continued "Jaden spends much time with Master Katarn so I saw him a lot during my training. One thing I know is that he is finding this just as difficult as you are. He has always been the learner, never the teacher."  
This worried Eldin as by the assertiveness he heard in the tone of Grace's voice it seemed like she could be right. She did know Korr better than he did and if he lacked the capability to be a good mentor then Tyron knew he would most definitely fail as a student.  
Noticing the boy's troubled look Katar stood up and spoke "I can see that you may need some time alone. I will go; I have to leave for an assignment soon anyway. It was a pleasure to meet you Tyron Eldin. I hope we can talk again."  
"Me too." Tyron mumbled. Grace turned around and walked out of the Resting Area.

Remembering what his Master had told him to do Eldin left his chair, strolled over to the largest corner of the room and sat down. This was the place most pupils did their meditation techniques. There were several Padawans in the corner now, all with their eyes closed, drifting through the immense, figurative land of the Force.

Hoping this would bring some serenity to his troubled self, Tyron put his hands on his knees and closed his eyes. Doing as his Master had instructed in earlier sessions Eldin reached out to the Force, focusing his mind on peace and calmness as though asking for them as gifts.  
Slowly Tyron began to feel his fears and doubt fade away inside him, diminishing like illness cured by medicine. Gradually, as his concentration stayed strong, feelings of hope and tranquillity came to him like a fierce wave in an extensive sea.  
Breathing gently, Eldin tried his best to keep hold of the equanimity and wished that he could be in this state of mind forever.


	15. Trial of Loyalty

**Korriban, Tomb of Darth Bane**

A cloaked figure marched up the stairs heading to the mighty tomb of the infamous Dark Lord Darth Bane. Pushing the doors open the figure breathed in all the dust and sand that wafted through the air, as though inhaling triumph itself. A malicious grin etched upon their hard-to-see face, the mysterious person walked through the doors and looked around the tomb, as if looking for something in particular.

After a few minutes of search, they stopped and looked to the far corner of the ancient room. Placed there, atop of a cracked dais, was the sarcophagus of the Sith Lord. Striding towards the Sarcophagus they walked up the steps and then, with a breath, slowly opened it. Inside was nothing but dirt; the body of Darth Bane had been destroyed yet his Tomb was strangely still created.  
Disappointed, the stranger closed the casket with force. As soon as the lid dropped a croaky voice spoke " _Who are you? What are you doing here?_ "

The figure jumped but then calmed them self very quickly "My name is not important. However, my reason to be here is. I am here…for inspiration."

A fierce gust of wind hit the person but they stood their ground. When the blast stopped a bright, blue image of sorts appeared, facing the figure. The image was Darth Bane himself " _Your voice. That is not your true sound. Why change it child?_ "

"Even though I am alone, that doesn't mean I can't be seen or heard." the figure said in a deep tone "Furtiveness is a crucial key to victory. As you know yourself Darth Bane."

Smirking, Bane stated " _Very true. Now, you say you are here for inspiration. Why do you need to be inspired child?_ "

Happy with the deceased Dark Lord's response the visitor answered "Revenge. Revenge against the Jedi. Their Order has become strong since it returned. Strong because of three Jedi in particular. The founder Luke Skywalker, the Battlemaster Kyle Katarn and his pathetic pet Jaden Korr." The figure scowled after saying the latter's name and then continued "I have great skill and power but I cannot defeat them all. Not from a random attack. I need a plan. I came to you for guidance. No one is better at making a plan of vengeance than you Darth Bane."

Staring with pity at the person, the Dark Lord claimed " _Only the Force can guide you my child. Only the Dark Side. But I can help you with one thing_." As soon as he finished the Sith disappeared then the wall to the side began to fracture and, eventually, fell apart. Curious the figure rushed towards the wall and entered, seeing a small tunnel inside.

They strolled down the tunnel, trying to avoid tripping over the scattered rocks and stones on the floor. When they reached the end of the tunnel, they came into a large room. In the middle of the room was what appeared to be a rocky, yet well-crafted table. As the figure approached the table and examined it Bane's voice came " _This is the Moraband Execution Chamber. It was used many times to kill_ _Jedi prisoners. Considering the hate I felt in you when you spoke of…Jaden Korr, I believed this would be of some use to you. Now I must go. Back to the abyss of death. If you use the Dark Side, it will lead you to vengeance child._ "

Following a flash of light, the Sith was gone. The cloaked one stood and admired the chamber with sinister glee. After a few moments of observation, a small beeping sound began. Knowing instantly what it was the figure put their hand in their pocket and took out a small, metal disk; a holocommunicator. Pressing the button, a miniature hologram appeared of a person. They too were well disguised "Hello my Master." they said.

"Greetings my Apprentice." the Master replied "How is your mission going?"

Obviously eager to say the Apprentice spoke "It is going well Master. The boy's vulnerability is swelling like a bruise. However, I must inform you that he is making much progress in his training. His skills with both a lightsaber and the Force have improved greatly. If we fail to corrupt him he could be our downfall."

Smiling the Master said "But if we succeed he will be a valuable asset to our cause. Failure is not an option my Apprentice."

Hearing the slightly threatening tone in the voice of their Master, the Apprentice quickly declared "I will not fail you Master. I promise."  
Satisfied the Master chortled "I know you won't. You are strong like me."

Relaxed again the Apprentice asked "How is your mission going my Master? Have you started our plan?"

Touching the execution table, the Master laughed "Oh I am having many ideas flying through my head. _Many_ ideas."

 **Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum, Storage Area**

Standing straight while his Master looked at him, Tyron wondered what in the Galaxy was happening. He had been told by Kyle early in the morning that their training session was cancelled as Jaden had some very important information to give him. Eager to find out, Eldin had ran to Grand Audience Chamber and been taken here to the dusty old Storage Area by Korr.

There were numerous fascinating items all around the area but Tyron didn't bother to inspect. He was much more interested in finding out what his Master had to tell him.  
"Well Tyron, I called you here to tell you that after much thinking I have made a significant decision. Though your training is far from complete, you have learned much since you arrived here. I think you've learned enough to finally start leaving this Academy and going to help people. Missions, assignments etc. I will be with you on all those missions however. You are still my Padawan."  
Too excited to complain about having his Master with him on the assignments, Tyron almost jumped off the ground out of happiness "That is fantastic news. Thank you Master." After a short pause Eldin hurriedly inquired "So, when are we leaving? What mission are we going on? Will anybody be with us?"  
Holding up his hand to stop the boy from continuously asking those questions Jaden spoke "Stop, those questions will be answered later. At first you must do something for me."  
Tyron gave his Master an odd look "Do what?"  
"I believe that you are ready but the only thing that can confirm that is the Force. You must do a test. A test that will prove you are prepared to face greater challenges than remotes and practice droids."  
Determined to be seen as worthy to take on the true life of a Jedi, Eldin nodded and claimed "I will take this test. What do I have to do Master?"  
A brief look of pride on his face, Korr walked towards his Apprentice and took his training lightsaber "You do not need this anymore. To pass the test you must do what all Jedi do. You must construct your own lightsaber."

Both shock and desire came to the young Padawan when he heard this. One of the many things that he had dreamed of doing as a child was making his own lightsaber. He'd always gotten two sticks and had a playful duel with his Father when he was young. The training lightsaber was useful but still not the same as the true blade of a Jedi.  
"How will I do this Master?" Tyron questioned "Neither you nor Kyle has taught me how to create a lightsaber."  
"That is part of the test my Apprentice." Jaden said "I'm afraid you must complete this task alone. Both the supplies and knowledge you need to do that, are yours to find. But I will at least put you on the right path." The Jedi Knight walked away clearly expecting Eldin to follow him. The latter did just that and found himself looking at a small table that had a number of, what appeared to be, colourful stones on it. Some blue, some green, a few orange and even a couple of purple stones were there.

Intrigued by the magnificence of the objects, Tyron stepped towards the table and looked at them all "I didn't think something so small could be so…amazing. What are these Master?"  
"These are the very heart of a lightsaber my Apprentice." Korr stated "They are crystals. Physical manifestations of the Force. Without a crystal, the lightsaber is nothing."  
Filled with enthusiasm, Eldin asked "Can I pick any one of them?"  
"I think you misunderstand me my Apprentice." His Master said "One of these crystals already belongs to you. But to find which one of them it is you must use the Force."

Tyron nodded then looked down at all the crystals. Closing his eyes, Eldin raised his left hand and let it wander above the table, as though hoping one of the crystals would leap up into his hand. Trying to stay attuned to the Force, Eldin began to feel something strange. He felt cold as he moved his hand around the table yet warmness came to him as he moved more to the left side of the table. Reaching closer Tyron soon had a great deal in his body. When he felt this he lowered his hand to the table and picked something up. Opening his eyes Eldin saw a shiny, blue crystal in his palm. As he poked it with his finger, gracious feelings came to him "So what now Mas-"  
Turning Tyron saw that Jaden had left. Understanding, Eldin came to the centre of the Storage Area and began his search.

After two hours of well-motivated probing of the room, Eldin finally managed to find what he needed. When he looked, he followed the Force. If he picked up the wrong item, he felt a fast jolt come to him. As though the Force was given him an electric shock to make it very clear that he didn't need the supply. However, when he found the correct item the same feeling as before, when he chose the crystal, came to him.  
"Okay, I have the pieces; now I just need the knowledge." Tyron said to himself. An idea coming to him, Eldin headed to the Grand Audience Chamber hoping to find Luke Skywalker.

When he arrived at the Chamber, Tyron could sense the Jedi Master inside. He opened the doors and slowly walked towards Luke, trying to be respectful instead of rushing in.  
"Hello Tyron. It's been quite a while since we talked." Skywalker spoke softly while looking out at the forest of Yavin IV.  
Wishing to get straight to the point Eldin responded "Yes Master Skywalker it has. I guess I've been too busy training. Speaking of which, I need your help."  
Luke smiled "You're taking the test I gather. You have to construct your own lightsaber."  
"Yes." Tyron confirmed "I've got the pieces that I need and I've got the crystal. But I still don't know _how_ to build it. I'm not trying to convince you to do it for me Master; I just need your help."  
Skywalker detected a hint of desperation in the boy's voice. Believing that a personal story would assist the Padawan in his task, Luke unattached his own lightsaber from his belt, held it out and said "I crafted my lightsaber from scratch. It truly was one of the most difficult tasks of my life. I went to my first Master's hut and found some information on how to do it. That certainly helped but what really led me to success in making my lightsaber was the Force. I opened myself to it. I became connected to it and then I knew exactly what to do. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you Tyron?"

Aware of the meaning behind the Jedi Master's speech, Tyron proclaimed "I do understand Master Skywalker. I will try to fulfil my task."  
Skywalker pointed at Eldin "Try not. _Do_ or do not. There is no try."  
Finding Luke's way of speaking bizarre, Tyron simply nodded and left the Chamber, heading for his room. He thought that working in a place of comfort would aid him in completing this complicated job.

Eldin was soon sat on the floor, in the middle of his room, with all his necessary items displayed in front of him. With his hands on his knees, Tyron closed his eyes and did his best to connect with the Force. Not an easy task for him, the Padawan spent minutes just sitting, feeling nothing coming to him. Though agitation eventually came, Eldin ignored and lessened it through breathing exercises. After this he finally began to feel more open, as though the Force had put a key in to him and turned it. Tyron sensed the presence of many in the Academy but tried to focus on the the pieces in front of him. Soon Eldin slipped into deep meditation, seeing in his mind nothing but the saber; coming together bit by bit. It was like a dream but also reality.  
As he thought of the lightsaber being constructed, it seemed to become more familiar to him, as though he had always possessed the weapon.

After a long time of connecting with the Force, Tyron soon awoke. Opening his eyes, what he saw in front of him brought astonishment. A moderately-sized hilt, silver middle with a brown covering, was floating in front of him. Thrilled and proud, Eldin took the saber into his hands, stood up and then pressed the small red button at the top of the weapon. Instantly a long, heated beam of blue-coloured energy arose from the hilt. Holding it in front of him, Tyron stared at the blade, seeing it as one of the biggest achievements he had made in his life.  
Knowing what to do Eldin, with one last look, deactivated his lightsaber and clipped it to his belt.

Going to the entrance of the Praxeum, Tyron went out of the door and saw his Master waiting for him. Saying nothing Eldin walked over to Jaden, unattached his lightsaber and held it out to him. Korr took it and began to inspect the hilt, checking each and every part of it. The Jedi Knight soon ignited the saber; his eyebrows rose at the sight of the blade. After a moment of beholding it, Jaden deactivated the lightsaber and handed it back to his Apprentice "Well done Tyron. You have passed the test. One thing that I want you to know however is that the lightsaber is not only a weapon. It is a symbol of the Jedi Order. The task of constructing it was a test of dedication, a trial of loyalty."  
"I understand my Master." The Padawan said  
"Good. Now, we have a mission to go on. Pack anything you need." Korr instructed  
Delighted, Tyron beamed and ran back to the Academy. Hopefully this mission would be an eventful adventure.


	16. Friendship Begins in Crazy Ways

**Nar Shadda, Undercity**

Tyron considered his very first mission to be an unusual one. Not because of the assignment itself but because of who had been sent with him and his Master on the mission. Rosh Penin and his Apprentice Edaruk Voss were told by Master Skywalker to accompany them due to the danger of Nar Shadda, especially the Undercity.

Eldin was quite happy to have Rosh with them, he had become quite fond of the peculiar Jedi Knight, it was Edaruk that was the problem. During his time at the Academy, he had always tried to be friendly with the Zabrak but all he had gotten in return was animosity. When he tried to talk to him, Voss would either angrily dismiss him or simply ignore him. It seemed their first encounter had not gone well in Edaruk's eyes.

Tyron had been told by Jaden that the goal of their mission was to track down a weaponry construction factory that was controlled by the well-known, Weequay crime lord Pruglo Nask. New Republic scouts had discovered the area of the facility but not the specific destination. When they had reported their findings to the Chief of State, Leia Organa Solo, she contacted her brother and asked him for help. The assignment was considered too risky for the scouts due to the notorious Pruglo's merciless reputation.

After an hour of unsuccessful searching by the four Jedi, Korr said "Okay, I think we need to split up. Two groups are better than one. Rosh, you come with me." Rosh nodded "You two stick together. If you find the factory, do _not_ attempt to attack or infiltrate it on your own. Stay where you are and contact us. Here's a holocommunicator." Jaden threw a disc to Eldin who caught it easily.  
"Take care you two, and may the Force be with you." Penin spoke.  
Tyron smiled while Voss just rolled his eyes when his Master turned around and walked away with Korr.

"Well, just us then." Eldin noted awkwardly. Edaruk said nothing and began marching away. Tyron just overlooked the rudeness and caught up with him "You know, maybe it's good that we're alone. It might give us more of a chance to…bond."  
Voss stopped immediately and stared at him as if he was talking madness "Bond? No thank you."  
Sighing, Eldin inquired "Is there any particular reason why you hate me so much?"  
Edaruk answered without looking at him "I don't hate you. I'm just not a big fan of friendship. Through past experience I've learned that it's not really a good thing."  
Realizing from Voss' tone of voice that it was not a good topic to ask about, Tyron stayed silent.

* * *

"This place is a complete mess." Rosh stated "The streets honestly look as rough as a Rancor pit. Have you seen anything?" Jaden didn't respond. As Penin looked at him he seemed to be in his own world. Surprised, Rosh waved his hand in his best friend's face "Hello? Anyone there? I'm looking for a Jedi Knight called Jaden Korr."  
Instantly coming back to reality, Korr quickly said "Sorry Rosh. I was just thinking to myself."  
"Yeah I could see that." Penin jokingly claimed "What were you thinking about? Wait…Tyron?"  
Groaning, Jaden replied "I'm just worried about him and Edaruk. I don't know if it was right of us to send them on their own."  
Rosh grasped his shoulder and spoke "Don't worry. They may be Padawans but they've been well trained. They know enough to look after themselves."  
Korr turned to Penin and nodded, though half-heartedly "Yeah, sure."

The two Knights continued to explore the area, doing their best to find something that would lead them to the factory but they located nothing. While things seemed quiet, Jaden suddenly felt a hostile presence in the area. Following his senses he saw five armed thugs coming close. Each of them was wielding heavy blaster rifles; T-21 light repeating blasters to be exact. Trying to be cautious, Korr said nothing and simply tapped Rosh on the shoulder instead. When Penin turned, Jaden pointed to the group, who were getting closer. Signalling Rosh to go to the left side of the small road, Korr stayed on the right unclipping his lightsabers.

Both of the Jedi stayed low, using their surroundings to cover themselves. Hoping to gain an advantage as soon as possible, Rosh ignited his saber; an indigo-coloured blade, and jumped towards the enemy. Bringing a downward slash, Penin managed to disarm one of the criminals by cutting his blaster in half but had to retreat and hold up his weapon when the thugs, after regaining their bearings that they lost through the shocking attack, began to fire.  
While Rosh held his defence, blocking all blaster bolts through competent usage of Soresu, Jaden leapt into the fight trying to use Penin's distraction of their opponents as a key to victory.  
Raising one lightsaber for protection, Korr used the other for attack. As he deflected several shots, he sent countless strikes, so fast that his actions could not be seen by the naked eye. With a flurry of swift, precise hits Jaden took away all of his enemy's blasters followed by Rosh sending each of them to the floor with a strong Force Push.

Though Penin deactivated his lightsaber, Korr kept both of his alight. All their defeated adversaries lay on the floor, shaking in fear, believing that Jedi Knight would kill them there and then. Holding his sabers out, Jaden asked in an intimidating growl "Now which one of you is the leader?" All of them immediately pointed at the one furthest from Korr. An angry looking Twi'lek who clearly wasn't up for an interrogation, scowled at the others while Jaden strolled over to him "Okay, if you are the leader of this little squad then you must know where Pruglo Nask is?"  
A cowardly Rodian quickly gasped in a dim-witted voice "You know we work for Pruglo Nask?"  
Rosh laughed "We do now you laserbrained nerfherder."  
The Twi'lek stared at the Rodian with a look of hatred, as though he wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face. Seeing his expression Korr said "Okay, I know that you're afraid. So, if you tell us where Nask's factory is then we will let you go."  
The Twi'lek grunted "You will?"  
Jaden nodded slowly "Of course. You have my word."  
The thug snorted "How can I trust you?"  
Penin jumped in fast "Who should be trusted more than a Jedi?"  
Thinking it over for a few moments the Twi'lek said "Four miles south from here you'll see a big, really rough looking building. It's the kind of structure you'd immediately think was used by criminals. Ignore it and go half a mile west from there. You follow those instructions and you'll find the factory. Pruglo Nask was there when we left but I can't guarantee that he will be there now. I heard him saying that he'll be moving to site B soon. I don't know what place he was referring to."  
Satisfied, Korr stood up and deactivated his lightsabers "I guess we'll have to be quick then." Clipping his sabers to his belt, Jaden ran in the direction he was given, followed closely by Rosh.

* * *

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Tyron inquired  
Edaruk rolled his eyes "If we don't know where those criminal scum are then how could we even _know_ the right way?"  
Eldin mused over this comment "Fair point. But I still don't think this is where we should be going."  
Voss sighed and shook his head "Okay, fine. Where do you think we should look?"  
Tyron waited for a moment looking around. Finding nothing through sight, he closed his eyes and tried to use the gaze of the Force to discover the right direction. Following a few minutes of this, Tyron soon opened his eyes smiling "I think I know where we should go. We have to head about two miles that way." He pointed to the left side of their area.  
Seeming unconvinced, Edaruk questioned "Are you sure?"  
Remembering his Master's words " _Always trust the Force."_ Eldin nodded "Yes. I am." Receiving no reply from the Zabrak, Tyron just headed the way he believed was best and was soon followed by his partner.

After twenty minutes of vigorous searching, Eldin and Voss finally arrived at where they needed to be. Hard to see due to the darkness, the factory was close. It was considerably large but still not big enough to be noticed by ships passing by in the sky above. There was one balcony, empty at the moment, just over the entrance.  
Trying their best to stay hidden, Tyron and Edaruk moved towards the factory and then stopped. Wishing to take an observation of the building, Eldin examined every spot and soon saw a rather thin Cerean armed with a sniper rifle, accompanied by a Rodian who had a simple hand blaster; both walked out onto the balcony.  
Aware of the situation Tyron spoke "Okay, this is it. I'll contact Master Korr and Master Penin. They have to know that we're here."  
Voss stayed quiet so Eldin did as he said. Taking out the holocommunicator, he pressed the small button and waited. After a few seconds of waiting the disc flickered and then a small hologram of Jaden appeared.  
"Tyron, are you okay? What's wrong?" Korr asked worriedly  
"Nothing's wrong Master." Tyron responded "I have good news. We've found the factory. All I've seen are two guards on top of a balcony of the factory. Other than that there's no one."  
Despite the small size of the hologram, Eldin could still see the pleased look on his Master's face "Fantastic Tyron, well done. We ran into some of Pruglo Nask's men and…convinced them to give us their boss's whereabouts. We're close so just wait there until Rosh and I arrive. Don't try or do _anything_ on your own. Do you understand?"  
"Yes Master." Tyron answered. Deactivating the holocommunicator, Eldin looked back at the factory watching the two guards, who seemed to be playing a card game of some sort. He didn't know which; he was not familiar with games like that.  
"Why should we wait? I bet I could take out them two whelps easily. Then I could just bring the door down." Barked Edaruk.  
Eldin turned to Voss "I'm sure it'd be easy to defeat the guards and slip into the factory. But we still shouldn't because the problem is we don't know who or what is _in_ the factory."

Edaruk scoffed "Oh please. They'll be nothing but weaklings in there. Stupid fools who would fall to my blade." As he said this he gripped his lightsaber firmly.  
Seeing this, Tyron began to feel slightly apprehensive towards his fellow Padawan. He could sense his anger like it was a smoke in the air. Eldin had no idea why Voss was so angry so he thought it was best not to ask "Well, even so, we can't go in. Master Korr said so."  
Edaruk smirked "Your Master, not mine." As soon as he said that, he walked towards the factory.  
"Edaruk, wait! Come back!" Tyron yelped. Voss said nothing back and simply carried on marching straight the the factory.

Soon the guards saw the Zabrak and quickly picked up their weapons. As Edaruk strolled towards them, the Cerean shouted out "What do you want? Go away you horned-headed freak!"  
Voss just glowered and activated his lightsaber. Out of the short, sturdy hilt came a dark, orange blade. As soon as the guards saw this they squealed in fear and fired at the Apprentice, who deflected the bolts with ease. In great speed, Edaruk performed an impressive Force-augmented jump and landed on the balcony. Holding his saber high, Voss jumped forward and cut down the Cerean with no mercy.  
"What are you doing?!" Eldin screamed, sprinting to the factory.  
Taking no notice of Tyron's question, Edaruk strode towards the terrified Rodian who was firing his hand blaster nonstop. Voss blocked all of the enemy's shots and then, with a rapid stab, killed him.  
Close enough, Tyron leaped up to the balcony "Why in the Galaxy did you do that?!"  
Edaruk just stared at him as if he had asked something stupid "They were going to attack us no matter what. It was better that I took them out quick. Now come on, we can just slip through the window." Once he said this, Voss did just that and crawled clumsily through a nearby window.  
Knowing he had to help the arrogant Zabrak, Eldin sighed and followed him.

Outside the factory it looked like a crude, normal building but on the inside it had the appearance of a palace. Well organised, luxurious structure and a roof that was held by colossal pillars "I bet Nask gets a lot of money if he can make a facility like this." Tyron muttered to himself.  
Both crouched, Eldin and Edaruk looked over a nearby ledge, staying unseen, and saw the construction of multiple advanced-looking weapons.  
All those who were making them were afraid, Tyron could tell. He didn't need the Force; he could see the fear on their faces. Each were breathing heavily, putting the parts of the weapons together as fast as they could. Pruglo Nask obviously liked things done fast and good. As if on cue, the Weequay monster himself walked past all the workers, examining what they had done; Eldin felt the panic increase as the boss came closer to the them.

Tyron wasn't sure what to do at that moment. Given the fact that there were several guards throughout the factory, all clearly armed with well-made weaponry, Eldin saw attack as a foolish tactic.  
While he was thinking about what action they should take, Voss stood up and headed towards a set of stairs to their left "Why am I not surprised?" Tyron mumbled.  
Knowing that verbal protests would not dissuade Edaruk from risking his life, Eldin went with him and felt it was best to just hold the guards off until their Masters arrived.

Wasting little time, the two Padawans lunged at the guards closest to them, cutting several down easily due to the surprise of their attack. Once aware of the assault, all nearby guards fired back.  
Though they had a short burst of attack at first, as more enemies came shooting with their blasters, both Tyron and Voss had no choice but to focus on the defensive  
"Kill those little Jedi freaks! Kill them now!" Pruglo howled viciously.  
Because of how many enemies there were, Eldin was forced to utilize the blast-deflection methods of both Shii-Cho and Soresu. He continuously repelled many bolts but still had no chance to eliminate those that were firing them. Edaruk however was quite successful as he was managing to send almost every blast back with both speed and accuracy. It seemed that with every swing, Voss could direct all bolts in any way he wanted. These were unknown techniques to Tyron. Despite the stupidity of doing this in such a dangerous situation, Eldin chose to ask "How are you doing that?"  
Edaruk looked at him for just a second and then blocked more fired shots "Doing what?!"  
"Sending those bolts back so easily?"he responded loudly.  
As chaotic as their current event was, Voss couldn't help but cockily grin at that "I take it you haven't learned Form V yet."  
Before Tyron could reply, he saw the ruthless Pruglo Nask coming closer, with a malicious smile on his face. He was holding what appeared to be a missile launcher. The Weequay aimed it straight at the two Padawans and fired.  
Noticing that Edaruk was too enticed by his lust for battle to see the missile, Eldin decided to take care of it himself. Tapping into the power of the Force, he attempted to stop the missile but its velocity prevented this. Struggling, Tyron brought as much strength as he could but he still couldn't stop the missile, instead he faltered its direction and sent it into one of the enormous pillars; this was not a good thing.

The pillar cracked and started to crumble, collapsing bit by bit. Voss stared at the pillar while the guards screamed and ran. Edaruk appeared to be...frozen. Eldin didn't know if it was out of fear or something else entirely, but that didn't matter. What mattered was the pillar was falling and he wasn't moving. Running towards the Zabrak, Tyron jumped and tackled him, sending them both out of the way of the debris.  
"You...you saved me." Voss stated in a shocked tone.  
"Of course I did." Tyron replied "You're my friend."  
Edaruk looked at him "Friend." he said, as if trying to remember the meaning of the word.  
Before this conversation could continue the fearsome Pruglo stumbled towards them, this time armed with a rather immense hand blaster, pointing at Eldin "You! You have destroyed my factory you little brat! Now I'm going to destroy you!"  
As Nask aimed his blaster, Voss stood in front of Tyron with saber raised "If you want him you're gonna have to go through me!"  
"I'll second that." a voice spoke.

Turning, Eldin saw his Master and Rosh, clearly ready for a fight "Pruglo Nask, you are under arrest for crimes against the Republic. If you surrender now then I won't remove any of your limbs." Jaden proclaimed.  
The Weequay had a livid expression on his face "Never!" He fired his blaster with a psychopathic scream, trying his best to kill the Jedi. However, he did not fulfill his goal. Korr deflected all of the bolts, slowly approaching the crimelord. After a few minutes of defence, the Jedi Knight did a fast slash, cutting off Nask's arm.  
Crying in pain, Pruglo dropped to his knees, sobbing out of both hurt and failure.

Just as Jaden was going to grab Nask, the factory began to fall apart due to the damage it had taken. Realizing that the Weequay would simply delay them, Korr stood up and yelled "Let's go! Now!" The four Jedi did just that, using the Force to increase their speed so that they wouldn't be crushed by the falling wreckage.  
They all breathed in as much air as they could once they were outside; tired from their hurried departure.

"Well, that was a fun mission." Tyron said.  
Edaruk grasped his new friend's arm "Are you okay?" he asked.  
Eldin smiled "Yeah, I'm fine."  
The two Jedi Knights stared at their Apprentices then Korr spoke "Come on, let's get back to our transport. We have to report to Master Skywalker."


	17. Dark Times Ahead

**Lothal, Jedi Temple**

As the light of the sun wavered over the rocky lands of Lothal, three figures could be seen marching towards a large, gravelly mountain. Once they were in front of it, the trio stopped and simply stared at it. One was a rather tall, bulky-looking human with an expression on his face that suggested murderous intentions. The two beside him were both Twi'lek, though bodily features suggested that one was a boy and the other a girl; they had far more exotic clothing than the human.

"Okay, you remember what Master Pavydas told us." The Human said "Feel the Force and we'll find what we need to." The three held out their hands, opening their minds to the Force, and soon the mountain began to rise. As it slowly floated into the air, still stuck in the ground, it twisted and revealed a small opening. As soon as the three saw this they stopped, as did the mountain. Apparently satisfied, the three walked towards the opening and entered.

Inside the mountain was a dusty, ruin of an ancient room, with several doorways in the corners "This is what you call a Jedi Temple? It doesn't look like much." The Human stated.

The male Twi'lek spoke "Well it was constructed by the Jedi over a thousand years ago. I doubted it would look flashy."

"Flashy isn't the Jedi way." a voice declared.

Turning, the trio saw a cloaked person standing nearby. Immediately angry the Human snapped "What are _you_ doing here? Where's Xelami Pavydas?"

The mysterious figure snorted "It's wonderful to see you too Ramoste." Their soft voice clearly showed it was a girl. She smiled at the Twi'leks "Tarquin'dira, Ardana'dira." The Twi'leks just nodded back out of politeness.

Ramoste snarled "Are you deaf? I asked you, _where_ is Master Pavydas?" His hand gripped a thick-hilted lightsaber he had attached to his belt.

Unintimidated, the girl just chuckled and answered "Master Pavydas has better things to do than see a miserable earworm like you."  
Growling like an animal, Ramoste unclipped his lightsaber and stepped towards the girl but Ardana'dira grabbed his arm and said "That is unnecessary Ramoste, calm down." Looking at the girl, Ardana'dira asked "Why have you come?"

The girl responded "Master Pavydas sent me here to give you three a message."

Tarquin'dira inquired "But why did we have to meet here? Of all places?"

The girl shrugged "Skywalker and his Jedi have no idea this place exists. This seemed to be a suitable place to meet."

"Fair enough." Tarquin'dira replied "What's the message?"

The girl smiled "Master Pavydas wanted me to tell you that the plan has gone in motion. We will all get our revenge on the Jedi but we must do as our Master tells us to. Then, and only then, will we avenge our families." A feeling of both desire and pressure filled the room.

Realizing this, the girl decided to get straight to the point "Each of you have missions. You must be successful or our plan will never work. Master Pavydas believes you are all well-trained enough to complete these assignments and so do I." After this, she stuck her hand in her pocket and brought out three disks. To save time, the girl used the Force to send one of the disks to each of the three.  
"Take these holocommunicators. Wait here and Master Pavydas will inform you of what your missions are. Good luck and May the Force be with you." Seeing her job as done, the girl walked out of the room.  
"Well, this should be fun." Ramoste muttered.

* * *

 **Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum, Grand Audience Chamber**

"So what is this meeting about Master Skywalker?" Jaden questioned. He had been called by Luke earlier who had told him that they must discuss something important. Kyle was the only other Jedi in the Chamber.

"I have been having...dark visions lately." Luke informed gravely "All of them are connected to you."

This made Korr feel anxious. If Luke Skywalker was worried then it wasn't good at all.

"So am I just here for entertainment?" Kyle asked sarcastically.

"No." Skywalker responded "You are involved as well."

Jaden felt his former Master's focus become more attuned to the situation "So, Master Skywalker, what have these visions shown you?"

Luke looked at him and answered "I have been seeing a cloaked figure; hidden by both disguise and shadows. I don't know who or what they are but I know they are powerful with the Dark Side. They feel...hate towards you Jaden."

This didn't shock Korr in the slightest. Dark Side-fuelled psychopaths always took an immediate disliking to him.

"What about me?" Katarn inquired "I'm guessing they hate me too."

Skywalker surprisingly shook his head "No, the strange thing is they seemed to feel a lot of yearning towards you."

Kyle's eyes widened when he heard this while Jaden just laughed "Really?" the Jedi Knight sniggered "It seems someone has a crush on you Kyle."

The Battlemaster just scowled at him "At least I have someone who likes me. Even if they are an evil Dark Side user!"

Korr just chuckled and looked back at Luke who didn't seem amused "No matter what their feelings are, this person is dangerous. I know they are. They want to kill all three of us."

Kyle raised an eyebrow "But I thought you said they... _yearned_ for me?" He shuddered when he said this "Why would they want to kill me as well?"

"For that exact reason Kyle. Their feelings for you are causing them pain. Pain that has led them to believe that the only way they could relieve themselves of this agony would be to eliminate you. As for Jaden and I, I don't know what formed their hate but it's certainly there." the Jedi Master scratched his chin then continued "This person will do anything to get what they want and it seems that they feel their greatest chance to do so is to use Tyron as a weapon."

All the humour was taken from Jaden at that moment. He was filled with concern of the fate of his Apprentice "Tyron? How does Tyron come into this?"

"They know of Tyron's power Jaden. I don't know how but they do and they want to use it." Skywalker spoke grimly "You both know we can't allow that to happen. If Tyron turned to the Dark Side...only tragedy would come from it."

"He won't." Korr declared loudly "He won't turn to the Dark Side. I will not allow it!" Taking a breath, trying to calm down, Jaden asked "What should I do Master Skywalker? Do you think I should keep Tyron's training at the Academy instead of in field missions?"

Before Luke could respond, Katarn jumped in "No, no, I wouldn't do that if I was you." Korr stared at him as though demanding why. Happy to explain Kyle said "When a kid has that kind of potential, you shouldn't hold them back. That often frustrates them and makes them feel more accepting of the Dark Side. I think you should continue his training in the regular way."

Skywalker nodded "Yes, I agree. Continue doing it as you have been but make sure you keep your eyes on him. If _anything_ happens that raises suspicions, report to me as soon as possible. Okay?"

Jaden nodded and replied "Yes Master, I understand."


	18. Best Defence is a Good Offence

**Yavin IV, Jedi Praxeum, Practice Area**

"Watch it! You almost took my head off!" Tyron shouted when Edaruk performed an aggressive horizontal slash that he only just managed to block.

Voss grinned "Well why don't you stop me?" he asked cheekily.

The two Padawans had come to the Practice Area to exercise their use of Form V, the Djem So variant. Edaruk was rather skilled in the Form out of both natural talent and training from his Master. Eldin however was finding it difficult as he had only been in one lesson with Kyle Katarn learning this. The Jedi Battlemaster seemed tense during the session but still instructed Tyron as well as he always did. It seemed Eldin's lack of skill in Form V was simply because he was not used to these kinds of techniques in lightsaber combat. He much preferred the graceful methods of Makashi but he still tried his best.

Paying attention to every action Voss took, Tyron held his blade high, in the usual stance of Djem So, and waited for his friend to attack. As if on cue, Edaruk took a swift swing which Eldin immediately blocked, then pushed Voss back following by sending several strikes of his own. Knowing that Edaruk had an advantage of physical strength due to his species, Tyron tried to focus on speed, hoping that he could eventually overwhelm the Zabrak.

After a flurry of fast hits, Voss backed away, seemingly affected in stamina from Eldin's attacks. Trying to take advantage, Tyron lunged forward and sent a barrage of powerful strokes towards his friend. Though Eldin seemed the dominant fighter of the duel at that moment, this was untrue. As soon as the Padawan's shots landed, Edaruk intercepted many but locked their sabers at the last minute and then pulled back.

Feeling like he had been pushed from behind, Tyron fell forwards with a yelp and landed on the floor in a heap. Crawling over and laying on his back, Eldin looked up and saw Voss, smirking, pointing his lightsaber at him.

Sighing, Tyron nodded "Fair enough, you win."

Chuckling, Edaruk deactivated his lightsaber, clipped it to his belt and then helped his friend up "Don't worry. You'll get better soon. I know you will." "Though, you'll never be as good as me." he added with a wink.

Tyron rolled his eyes in mock annoyance. A voice spoke "Well I guess that's three people who have beaten you in a spar now Tyron."  
Turning, Eldin saw Hadrian stood nearby smiling at him "Hello Hadrian. Great to see you." He was too excited to see her to take her comment as offensive.

The Tholothian kept smiling and said "It's nice to see you too. I have some good news. My Master told me that we would be going on a mission to Tatooine soon. You and your Master will be coming with us."

Tyron was thrilled when he heard this "That's great. I guess now you can see me in action."

Winlett giggled "I just saw you in action and I can't say I'm impressed."

Voss laughed along with her while Eldin just scowled, pretending he was angry with them. Truly, he was very happy to have Hadrian here with him. He loved spending time with her and if he had to be made fun of to get that then so be it.

Tyron returned to his room to pick up any supplies he needed for his mission. As soon as he was finished he made his way for the front exit of the Academy. As soon as he got there he saw his Master, Hadrian and unexpectedly Grace Katar standing there.  
"Hello Tyron." Grace greeted kindly "You look surprised to see me."  
Eldin stared at Hadrian for a second then smiled "It's good to see you. I just don't really know why you're here.  
He knew he had said the wrong thing immediately and it was confirmed when Jaden glared at him. However, Katar just chuckled while Hadrian spoke "Grace Katar is my Master."  
Tyron hadn't anticipated this and was not sure what to say so he just nodded.

"Okay, enough of the chatting." Korr declared "We have to go."  
Doing as requested, the Jedi all got their things together and entered the nearby transport which had been arranged for them.  
" _Well, this is gonna be a crazy mission."_ Eldin thought to himself, remembering the frightening tales he had heard about Tatooine.


	19. Rough Places, Fun Times

**Tatooine, Mos Eisley**

The rough terrain of Tatooine was almost as unbearable as the heated suns, blasting the city of Mos Eisley with intense rays of light. Living there was certainly no blessing but for many it was all they had.

"So can you tell me the reason we came to this horrible place?" Tyron asked glumly. He had only been on the planet for twelve minutes at the most and he already hated it. The coarse sand was annoying to feel and the heat was already making him feel nauseous.

Jaden was about to answer but Grace got there first "We received reports that people have been seen enacting suspicious behaviour recently."

Eldin frowned "But that's normal on Tatooine right? Especially this city."

Korr spoke "Yes but the actions these people took seemed to make the citizens believe they were Force-users. No Jedi were sent here before us so obviously that's something we can't ignore."

Hadrian joined the conversation "What kind of actions are you referring to Master Korr?"

The Jedi Knight replied quickly "These people, two Twi'leks to be specific, were seen in a local cantina talking to a well-known bounty hunter called Zaan Veto. They were trying to persuade him to do a job, I don't really know what, and contact got a little…harsh between them. Veto grabbed his blaster but soon dropped it when he was nearly choked to death. The Twi'leks almost killed him without even touching him. Veto immediately took their offer."

Tyron brooded over this for a moment, as did Winlett "Okay, if we already know what happened then what would be the point in us coming?"

"Well, when you're trying to find someone, it's best to sniff around their last known location." Jaden responded "We'll look around the area, ask some questions. But do it politely, we don't want to cause any trouble here."  
Eldin snorted "Oh please, with the psychopaths you find on this planet it's going to be impossible not to cause trouble."  
Hadrian and her Master laughed while Korr just rolled his eyes.

The four Jedi trailed around the city of Mos Eisley, asking questions but getting no answers. They split up almost immediately; Winlett with her Master and Tyron with his. He was slightly disappointed that he couldn't spend some time with Hadrian but he knew the way of the Jedi, an Apprentice's place was with their Master.

Eldin and Jaden did as before and asked numerous people around them for information on the two threatening, mysterious Twi'leks. They did this for an hour and the most they had gotten was the daunting appearance of them, not where they had gone. The local civilians, no matter how tough they looked, seemed too afraid to reveal the criminals' whereabouts.  
After fifteen more minutes of doing the same thing consistently, the progress of the Master and Apprentice improved.  
A hoarse voice inquired "Are you two Jedi?"

Tyron and his Master turned and saw an old, rough looking man standing close by.  
"Yes we are." Korr answered "Do you have information on the Twi'lek criminals?"  
The old man looked around then said "Yes I do but I ain't telling you out here. Got moles all over the place. Come with me." Eldin was hesitant but Jaden followed the man so he did the same.

After a rather long walk, the old man brought them to a small house at the less dangerous area of Mos Eisley. Opening the doors, the man and the two Jedi entered.  
The building was quite homely inside; reminding Tyron of the place he had been raised. As the three came into a small living room, an elderly, kind-looking woman, sat on a slightly torn couch, stared at them and then spoke "Bray, who are these two?"  
Bray chuckled "I don't even get a nice welcoming kiss?"  
The woman rolled her eyes "Not if you don't tell me who they are."  
Korr answered "I am Jaden Korr, Jedi Knight of the Republic. This is my Apprentice Tyron Eldin."

Bray sat down on the couch, putting his feet up, and then declared "This is my… _wonderful_ wife Nayla. I am Bray Turick. I've got the information you want."  
"What information would that be?" Nayla heatedly questioned. The worries of a wife were always high.  
"Well, sweetheart, there's two Force-users in town that seem to enjoy choking people." Bray said "I think they need locking away so I'm gonna tell Mr. Korr here everything I know about them."  
Almost immediately, Nayla jumped up, pointing at her husband, and snapped "No you will not Bray Turick! You rat out a Force-user and you'll probably end up dead!"  
Bray smiled sadly "Nayla, these people are dangerous and if I can help the Jedi stop them from harming anyone then I will. It's the right thing to do."  
Hoping to help, Jaden said "Ma'am, if the information is useful then I can go out and find these Force-users to stop them. Tyron will stay with you while I'm gone."  
Nayla laughed, which Eldin didn't really appreciate "Oh please. You think leaving a child here will make us feel safe?"  
Feeling rather insulted, Tyron opened his mouth to say what was on his mind but his Master stopped that from happening "Ma'am, with all due respect, I wouldn't leave my Apprentice here if he wasn't capable of protecting you. He may be young but Tyron is skilled and powerful. I assure you that fear isn't necessary."  
Happy from his Master's praise, Eldin sat on a nearby chair and waited for Bray to tell them what he knew.

"Well, where do I start?" Bray queried "A couple days ago I had a pretty hard bit of work. I go out into the desert areas and dig whatever could be valuable. Despite the long hours, I wasn't very lucky that day so I decided to go for a drink."  
Nayla giggled "Why doesn't that surprise me."  
Bray ignored this and continued "I went where I always go; a local cantina called _Reanu's Household_. The drinks are good but the customers are bad. You see scum there all the time but that day there was two in particular that I didn't like. The two infamous Twi'leks that you're after. They both looked similar, same kinda exotic facial patterns, same blue skin colour." Bray took a sip of what appeared to be blue milk, then carried on "Anyway, when they was talking to the bounty hunter, they offered him 50,000 Wupiupi, yeah that's right I said 50, to capture a certain important political figure of the Republic. I don't know who it was, I didn't hear them, but it must be someone well-known because that's when Zaan Veto declined and got the choking treatment." Bray chuckled at his own words while his wife just sighed.

Korr brooded over this for a moment then nodded "Then what?"  
Bray sat up "Well, that was when they seemed to have… _persuaded_ Veto to do the job. He said yes and then they told him that they were leaving. They also said they'd be staying for a while and would meet him at some old hut in the Dune Sea if he ever had to tell them something. That's all I got."  
Jaden nodded again "No, that's very good information, I'll leave right now."  
"But, Master." Tyron said "We don't even know where that hut is."  
Korr smiled "I think I have an idea." Walking over to the door, he looked at the Turicks "Thank you very much for your time." Turning to his Apprentice, he added "Tyron, stay here until I come back. May the Force be With You."  
"And you Master." Eldin replied

As soon as he left, Jaden took out his holocommincator and activated it. Waiting for a few moments, a blue image flickered and then appeared. Although grainy, it was vaguely recognisable as that of Hadrian. She seemed surprised to see him which was unusual "Hello Master Korr, have you found something?"  
"Yes." Jaden answered "I got a lead on the criminals. I believe they're in the old hut of Obi-Wan Kenobi." Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. "Say - where's your master?" he asked.

"Oh, Grace?" Hadrian asked. She was unused to calling her mentor by the proper Jedi title. "She's searching some cantina or other. Now that I think about it, she's been gone a pretty long time." Jaden's rising sense of ire at Grace's absence was quickly replaced by concern for her vulnerable padawan. Leaving Hadrian alone in such a hive of scum and villainy smacked of irresponsibility to him, but his protective Jedi instincts overrode all else.

"Are you... safe?" he asked. Hadrian laughed.

"Of course," she said. "Grace will be r-" the holocomm went blank.

Korr said nothing, it was pointless as he knew the Padawan wouldn't hear him since the connection was lost "It seems that my mission will have to wait." The Jedi Knight muttered. Feeling the Force for guidance, Jaden clutched his lightsabers and ran. If Grace Katar couldn't protect Hadrian, then he would.


	20. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

Hello everybody and anybody that may be reading this! I've kinda been away from this story for quite a while. If over a year is considered "a while"  
I just wanted to apologize to any of the readers who have stuck with my story for seemingly disappearing off the face of the earth. I really wanted to continue with this story but I had so much to deal with in my life that I just lost track of things and ended up being kept away from writing again.  
I have some free time right now and I've decided to come back and see what I can add to the story. I can't confirm that I'll definitely have a chapter up soon but I'll certainly be making a return as soon as I can.  
Thank you everyone!


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